We have fallen in love with the problem
Change is one of the toughest behaviors to adopt because we have fallen in love with the problem.
Why Change? Let’s change the question to: Is change the answer? How do we know when to embrace change, and how do we handle it before things crumble? For that, let’s turn to a compelling framework for understanding how societies (and by extension, organizations) grow complex over time.
Joseph Tainter, in his book The Collapse of Complex Societies, offers a fascinating perspective on how societies build layers upon layers of structure to solve problems—until they reach a point of diminishing returns. Each new layer of complexity is introduced to address a challenge, but over time, maintaining these layers demands more resources, more energy, and more coordination. Eventually, the cost of “just keeping it all going” starts to outweigh the benefits.
For instance:
Problem-Solving Accumulation: Each time a society (organization) solves a major issue, it tends to add more complexity—new laws, new bureaucracies, new technologies.
Diminishing Returns: As more complexity is piled on, it can drain resources without solving the core issue effectively.
Potential Collapse: When complexity becomes too unwieldy, systems face risk of breakdown or, at the very least, of being forced to radically simplify.
What’s the lesson here for us ruckus makers? The more we prop up old structures or maintain outdated ideas, the more we risk building complexity that no longer serves us. Sometimes, the courageous act isn’t to “layer on” but to clean house and rip the band aid, question assumptions, and refresh our thinking. This is where ruckus truly begins—by calling out what no longer works and daring to reimagine what could.
Tainter’s ideas about diminishing returns on complexity serve as a powerful reminder for individuals, businesses, and institutions:
Assess Your Systems
Look at the layers of rules, practices, or cultural norms you’ve built up over time. Ask: Are these solutions still beneficial, or just “the way we do things”? Challenge traditions that are more burdensome than beneficial.Focus on Core Purpose
Whether you’re a solopreneur, a teacher, or a Fortune 500 CEO, revisit your core mission regularly. Let that mission guide decisions about what to keep and what to let go. Clarity is the antidote to destructive complexity.Embrace Simplification
Simplification doesn’t mean ignoring complexity—it means strategically reducing what’s extraneous. Prune projects that weigh you down. Let go of obligations that don’t serve your higher goals. Space and down-time spark creativity and resilience.“Piloted Experiments”: Prototype Before You Scale
This is a must for me conducting piloted experiments before adding new layers of technology, hierarchy, or policy, experiment on a small scale. Gather real feedback and see if you’re truly solving a problem—or just building more scaffolding around a system that needs rethinking.
As ruckus makers, we’re called to question the status quo and create the conditions for healthier, leaner, and more vibrant systems—personal, organizational, and societal. Sometimes that means stripping away what’s no longer useful, sometimes it means layering on something bold and new. Is change the answer, keep asking: Does this change move us toward a better outcome or just deeper into the weeds?
Embrace the friction, harness the chaos, and make sure you’re simplifying as much as you’re building. That’s the sweet spot between harnessing complexity and staying true to your higher purpose.