You have been just called to solve a delicate situation, you don’t know the context, you don’t know the root cause, you may not even know what’s the problem at all, but there you are.
Let me take you to Cynefin -yes, it’s 2025 and we’re talking about Cynefin- which can gives us a bit of help here. Cynefin provides a powerful lens for understanding different types of problem-solving contexts. When it comes to complex systems, traditional process-based approaches fall dramatically short. Unlike simple or complicated domains where clear cause-and-effect relationships exist, complex environments are characterized by:
- Unpredictability
- Multiple interconnected variables
- Emergent behaviors that can’t be predetermined
- Constant adaptation and learning
Mr. Wolf: A Master of Complex Problem-Solving
Let’s break down the Mr. Wolf scene through the Cynefin lens. When he arrives at the chaotic crime scene, he doesn’t rigidly apply a pre-existing checklist. Instead, he:
- Quickly assesses the unique context
- Provides clear, adaptable guidance
- Empowers the team to act with purpose
- Remains flexible and responsive to emerging challenges
This approach is quintessentially complex domain problem-solving. Mr. Wolf doesn’t rely on a fixed process but instead creates a dynamic, responsive strategy.
The Cynefin Insight: Probe, Sense, Respond
In complex environments, the recommended approach is to:
- Probe the system
- Sense how it responds
- Adapt your approach accordingly
This is precisely what Mr. Wolf does. He doesn’t just give orders; he creates a framework for action that can adjust in real-time.
Back to the IT industry
Come back, you’re back in the IT sector… Cynefin borders are liquid, don’t take for granted things will be static. How many times a project or a service that was running smooth all the sudden goes from a simple or complex to chaotic? Let me refresh your memory, I can provide you some recent examples:
- Crodwstrike outage in 2024
- AWS S3 Outage in 2017 or power loss in March 2021 in US-EAST-1
- Atlassian Outage in 2022
Well, you may say these are services for which you do not have the real control, you use them as commodities. Let’s take the case of Valencia, the impact of the climate events in October 2024, I don’t want to go back to pandemic, but you can see now that these changes can happen.
Takeaways:
The key takeaway? In complex problem-solving scenarios:
- Embrace uncertainty
- Create flexible frameworks, not rigid processes
- Encourage adaptive thinking
- Foster rapid feedback and learning
- Develop team capabilities over prescriptive instructions
- Break the process
Just like Mr. Wolf transformed a seemingly impossible situation into a manageable outcome, leaders can navigate complexity by understanding that sometimes, the best approach is not to follow a process, but to create a responsive, adaptive strategy.
