Reader,

The last MindPrep Reflection started to introduce The Prepared Mind Project and three realities facing all businesses (and careers) today. One of these realities is that “Business is a wicked system that operates inside a wicked system.” Here are a few reflections on the what, so-what, and now-what behind that statement.

What

My regular readers know that I’ve written about wickedness on and off since February. Here is a quick reminder.

A wicked system is one where the rules are unclear or changing, feedback is delayed or misleading, and patterns are hard to spot or don’t exist. Experience may not help—and might even lead you astray.

For example, the Covid-19 pandemic exhibited all these five years ago and AI exhibits all of them today.

The AI future is here today and it’s wicked.

1. The rules are unclear

AI operates in a fluid, fast-moving regulatory and ethical landscape. Businesses and societies are debating what “responsible AI” means — and the answers keep changing as capabilities expand (e.g., AI-written code, deepfakes, automated decisions).

2. Feedback is delayed or distorted

Public and political narratives about AI (utopia vs. apocalypse) distort feedback, creating hype cycles rather than clarity. The signal-to-noise ratio is poor, making learning slow and adaptation reactive rather than proactive.

3. Patterns are elusive or misleading

Managers see patterns of productivity or creativity gains and assume causation - but correlation may hide systemic dependencies or human factors.

4. Experience might help — or it might hold you back

Experienced leaders often rely on mental models shaped by pre-AI workflows. Those rules-of-thumb may blind them to the nonlinear behavior of digital ecosystems.

So What

Kind environments—where experience and expertise lead to mastery—are disappearing. Treat AI as a new, unique problem to be solved.

Now What

Treat AI as a wicked problem rather than a technological trend. Shift your goal from “solving AI” to “navigating AI.” Recognize that any resolution is temporary because conditions and feedback keep changing.

Step 1. Define the Problem Beneath the Problem

“Is AI the problem, or what AI is doing to my business model, workforce, or decision processes the problem?” Clarify what AI is disrupting (efficiency, creativity, trust, skill relevance, etc.).

Step 2. Frame the Context and Stakeholders

Wicked problems involve multiple, often conflicting perspectives. Map your stakeholders and identify their values, fears, and incentives regarding AI.

Step 3. Gather Signals and Patterns (with Skepticism)

The rules are unclear, feedback distorted, patterns misleading. Scan for weak signals -policy shifts, emerging tools, social attitudes, and early failures.

Step 4. Develop Multiple Hypotheses

Create plausible futures: “AI augments us,” “AI displaces us,” “AI is regulated heavily,” etc. For each, ask: What’s the opportunity? What’s the threat? What must we prepare now?

Step 5. Decide on Safe and Risky Bets

Temporary resolution comes from experimenting and iterating. Prioritize a few strategic experiments — new workflows, training programs, AI tools, partnerships.

Step 6. Act and Learn

Run the Sense-Response Cycle faster than you want. After each cycle, ask

• What did we want?
• What did we get?
• Why were they different?
• What did we learn?

Step 7. Institutionalize the Learning

In a wicked world, the goal is not a perfect answer — it’s continuous learning. Record insights as playbooks, rules, or guidelines.

Step 8. Repeat and Reframe

Because the resolution is temporary the problem mutates. Schedule periodic reviews and ask, “How has AI changed since our last cycle?”

The Prepared Mind Project

Julie, Jim and I are meeting this week to create an LLC focused on building a community of leaders and thinkers who will be better prepared to undertake the challenges of 2025 and beyond. Stay tuned.

Bill