Written by: Vickie Sullivan | January 30, 2024
Need to Explain a Complex Problem? Try This
Have you ever tried explaining a complex problem? It’s hard!
Writers for the Harvard Business Review (HBR) excel at it, though. A perfect example is a recent HBR article about the shortage of workers in the United States. “Month after month, U.S. employers post millions of jobs while millions of Americans are actively seeking them — and yet those positions remain unfilled,” the article states. The problem is workers don’t have the skills employers seek, which they call the middle-skills gap.
If it were one of us explaining the problem, we would discern the symptoms and the factors for success. That’s a solid approach. The problem is a lot of people do that, and there’s a flood of content like that.
A Unique Approach to Explaining a Complex Problem
The authors of the HBR article take a different approach when positioning a complex problem. They use their research to focus on the gap between two groups that need each other: employers and educators. By doing that, they explain a lot without giving a lecture.
Positioning the problem that way works in two scenarios:
• When the real problem is hidden. The juxtaposition — millions of employers can’t find workers and millions of workers can’t find jobs — creates an intriguing context. The intrigue is compelling, and it sets up the need for big changes. Focus on the gap between two sides when the problem looks easy on the surface, but beneath it’s anything but.
• To promote a specific roadmap. The authors are blunt about the lack of collaboration between employers and community colleges and what has caused the middle-skills gap. They point out the hard truths of the situation, then make their recommendations. This technique is great when you want to suggest an approach without sounding too promotional.
Thought leaders are expected to identify and diagnose what’s going on behind the scenes. By focusing on the gaps, you can drill down on a problem without giving a boring lecture. Consider using this interesting approach when you want to differentiate your perspective.
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