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  • December 10, 2024
  • Article
  • Harvard Business Review (website)

Is Your Company’s Problem Complicated? Or Complex?

By: Nitin Nohria, Bill George and Kayti Stanley
  • Format:Electronic
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Abstract

Complicated problems, which can be solved with systematic approaches, are different from complex problems, which require adaptive strategies and continuous learning. Many leaders conflate the two types, have more experience with complicated problems, and therefore may struggle to manage complex situations. These six steps can help.

Keywords

Complexity; Adaptation; Leadership; Problems and Challenges

Citation

Nohria, Nitin, Bill George, and Kayti Stanley. "Is Your Company’s Problem Complicated? Or Complex?" Harvard Business Review (website) (December 10, 2024).
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About The Author

Nitin Nohria

→More Publications

More from the Authors

    • March 2025
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    Christophe Beck: Leading Ecolab into Its Next Century

    By: Nitin Nohria, Kayti Stanley, Regina Gomez and Veshal Arul Prakash
    • February 2025
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    Lessons from the Magnificent Seven and Other Remarkable High Growth Companies

    By: Hubert Joly and Kayti Stanley
    • September–October 2024
    • Harvard Business Review

    The Art of Leading Teammates

    By: Tom Brady and Nitin Nohria
More from the Authors
  • Christophe Beck: Leading Ecolab into Its Next Century By: Nitin Nohria, Kayti Stanley, Regina Gomez and Veshal Arul Prakash
  • Lessons from the Magnificent Seven and Other Remarkable High Growth Companies By: Hubert Joly and Kayti Stanley
  • The Art of Leading Teammates By: Tom Brady and Nitin Nohria
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