1.2.2 The multi-issue approach
Course subject(s)
Module 1. Welcome in a complex world
The multi-issue approach is a central strategy in a world with the three characteristics featured in the clip ‘The complexity of our world’: interdependencies, unstructured problems and dynamism.
We will now discuss a number of strategies that can be effective in a world like that. We will do this by viewing them from a project management perspective.
Many of you are engineers – and the multi-game issues strategy can often seem counter-intuitive to engineers. Why? What is an engineer’s intuitive response when confronted with complexity? Think of an engineer who has to build a complicated chemical plant. Often, the intuitive response is a desire to reduce that complexity. There is no engineer capable of dealing with all of the complexity of a plant of that kind, so what do you do? You break the chemical plant down into a series of subsidiary projects – and then ensure that each of these subsidiary projects is manageable. You reduce the complexity. With multi-issue games, exactly the opposite happens – you are confronted by a complicated issue and you actually increase the complexity. You add other issues.
Many engineers also feel particularly at home with a project-based management and leadership style, they have a project-based DNA, a project-based mindset . What is that exactly? It is a strongly analytical management style that appeals to many engineers. Its key elements are:
- there is a more or less ‘logical’ sequence – for example, you first need to know what your goal is, then you can collect information, so you start collecting information and then make a decision;
- for many of these stages, values such as ‘precision’, ‘clarity’ and ’focus’ are important. Someone with a project-based DNA prefers to have a precise problem analysis, a clear goal and focus when collecting information;
Why is this of relevance to engineers?
The process mindset is what is needed in a world with the three characteristics we just saw. These characteristics occur both within and between organisations. The case in question was about an issue between organisations – but, of course, we also see the same phenomena at work in many professional organisations.
Leaders need to have both mindsets. This course helps you to develop this other mindset and integrate it with your project mindset.
| Mindset 1: Leadership as a project | Mindset 2: Leadership as a process | |
|---|---|---|
| Defining the problem | Define problems as precise as possible — a leader needs the right problem definition. | Define problems as broad as possible — a leader needs a problem definition that is also interesting for other actors. |
| Setting goals | A leader needs to set clear goals. Clear goals provide direction to other actors. | A leader needs to be resilient, to seize unforeseen opportunities – clear, predefined goals might hamper this. |
| Gathering information | Be focused – gather the information you need in order to achieve your goals.A leader needs objective information. | Be open – gather information about the context you are in, appreciate that there might be unforeseen opportunities.A leader knows that that are many uncertainties and that much information is contested. So invest in good relationships with other actors – to collectively deal with these uncertainties. |
| Designing a solution | From problem to solution. A leader will first define the problem, and then look for a solution. | From solution to problem.A leader who designed a new solution, might also solve other problems than the pre-defined ones. |
| Decision making | A leader will identify a problem, set goals, gather information, design a solution – and will then enter into the phase of decision making about the the go/no go of the designed solution.Leaders make decisions. | A leader appreciates that decision making is an interactive process of collaboration with other actors. In such a process, decision making is not an isolated phase.Decisions emerge in cooperation with other actors. |
| Criteria for success | Leaders asks themselves the straightforward question – have I been effective and have I been efficient? | Leaders use other criteria: am I satisfied with the results, have good relationships been developed, have I created trust, have I learned in this complex world, I am living in? |
Influencing Stakeholders: Dealing with Power and Dynamics in Teams and Networks by TU Delft OpenCourseWare is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at https://online-learning.tudelft.nl/courses/influencing-stakeholders-dealing-with-power-and-dynamics-in-teams-and-networks/.