Knowing What to Do When You Don't Know What to Do

Hello ,

Building on last week's exploration of engaged epistemology

Last week we explored how knowledge work is shifting from individual expertise to collaborative creation.
This week: how to actually structure this approach for the problems that matter most.

The Meta-Skill That Defines Expertise

This paradox captures what separates truly accomplished, dare I say grounded, professionals from those who simply apply formulaic frameworks that are divorced from what actually happens within an organisation.
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You've may have noticed the gap between how change initiatives are supposed to work and how they actually unfold in practice. This pattern recognition—this ability to see what others miss—is the foundation of something rare: strategic business intelligence that only comes from years of watching theory meet reality.

When Traditional Expertise Isn't Enough

Not every problem fits this category. For straightforward challenges—the "tame problems"—your expertise works perfectly.

You can diagnose, prescribe, implement. You know what works because you've solved similar challenges before.

But increasingly, your network faces "wicked problems" where:

• The problem itself becomes clear only through working on it
• Every situation is genuinely unique with no exact precedents
• Stakeholders disagree on what success looks like
• Solutions create new problems that couldn't be anticipated

Think about AI implementation. The technical integration is solvable—that's the tame problem.

The wicked problem is how it changes relationships, affects different generations, alters client interactions, and requires capabilities that don't exist yet.

For wicked problems, nobody has the answer upfront—including you.

Three Partnership Approaches for Wicked Problems

1. Discovery Partnerships

When to use: The client thinks they know the problem, but something feels off
​Structure: Structured exploration before proposing any solutions
​Value: Both parties understand what they're really dealing with before designing interventions

2. Thinking Partnerships

When to use: Client faces ongoing uncertainty with no clear endpoint
​Structure: Monthly availability plus quarterly strategic intensives
​Value: Continuous access to sophisticated thinking without full-time executive investment

3. Implementation Partnerships

When to use: Major changes where the path forward emerges during execution
​Structure: Collaborative navigation as challenges arise
​Value: Real-time problem-solving when predetermined plans meet reality

The Credibility Requirement

This only works when your expertise is already recognised.
The downside is that clients facing urgent challenges naturally gravitate toward consultants promising quick fixes.

But when your reputation precedes you—when clients seek you out specifically because of your track record—you have permission to say: "Before we jump to solutions, let's make sure we understand what we're really dealing with here."

Without established credibility, clients won't give you permission to slow down and explore.

Practical Test: The Discovery Partnership

If you're curious about this approach, try a discovery partnership with one existing client facing a wicked problem:

Framework:

• 3-4 collaborative sessions over 2-3 weeks
• Joint exploration of what's really happening
• Shared hypothesis development about root causes
• Collaborative design of next steps

Positioning: "This challenge seems more complex than it appears on the surface. What if we invested time understanding what we're really dealing with before designing our approach?"

Success indicator: Client gains new insights about their situation, regardless of what happens next.

Common Client Questions

"How is this different from regular consulting?"
​ Response: "For straightforward problems, regular consulting works perfectly. But for unprecedented challenges where nobody has the answer yet, we need to discover the solution together."

"What if we don't find useful insights?"
​ Response: "The process itself usually reveals what we need to know. When collaborative insights aren't emerging, it often means we're addressing symptoms rather than root causes."

"How do we measure success?"
​ Response: "We'll track both the insights generated and your team's growing capability to navigate similar challenges independently."

Implementation Reality Check

This approach works for:

• Established professionals with recognised expertise
• Clients facing genuinely unprecedented challenges
• Situations where context heavily influences solutions

This approach doesn't work for:

• Professionals still building their reputation
• Clients who prefer clearly defined deliverables
• Problems with known, proven solutions

Read the Full Article: From Consultant to Collaborator: Knowing What to Do When You Don’t Know What to Do​

Next Week Preview

The Economics of Emergence: When Collaborative Thinking Becomes Competitive Advantage - exploring how learning partnerships create distinctive market positioning.

Reflection: Have you experienced that moment of "knowing what to do when you don't know what to do"? What's worked for you when navigating unprecedented challenges?

This Week's Action: Identify one current client challenge that might be a wicked problem rather than a tame one. What would change if you approached it collaboratively rather than prescriptively?

Cheers

Nigel Rawlins | Wisepreneurs
​Strategic Guide for Experience-Based Professionals​
​Host: Wisepreneurs Podcast (75+ expert conversations)​
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