Leadership as a Wicked Problem

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Author(s): Leslie P. Hitch (Northeastern University, USA)
Copyright: 2017
Pages: 10
Source title: Encyclopedia of Strategic Leadership and Management
Source Author(s)/Editor(s): Viktor Wang (Florida Atlantic University, USA)
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-5225-1049-9.ch025

Keywords: Business & Management / Business Science Reference / Management Science

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Abstract

In 1973, Horst Rittel and Melvin Webber put forth the term ‘wicked problems' to define situations where there was no concrete solution and where any attempt to ‘solve' the problem often resulted in the spiraling of additional wicked problems. John C. Camillus (2008) expands upon this concept and applied it to what he considered the near-impossibility to design coherent organizational strategy. Further exploration into the literature of wicked problems indicates the budding of new configurations of leadership to address wicked problems. As organizational strategy, in most industries, is inherently connected to leadership, this chapter suggests that the teaching of leadership, described often as one person in control or seen as the primary guide, needs to be revitalized, renewed and redirected as a process. Leadership may no longer be a person or hierarchy in order to contend with the wicked problems mounting in many industries, organizations, governments and society. The chapter concludes with suggestions on ways to teach leadership that are based upon Rittel and Webber's 10 characteristics of wicked problems.

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