“All history is the history of unintended consequences.” T. J. Jackson Lears

“There are downsides to everything; there are unintended consequences to everything.” Steve Jobs

The law of unintended consequences is the phenomenon in which actions always have effects that are unanticipated, unintended and clearly not part of the actor's purpose. In the best-case scenario, an action produces both the desired results and unplanned benefits; in the worst-case scenario, an action taken with the intention to make things better actually makes the original problem worse.

Whether positive, negative or neutral, the law of unintended consequences is one of the most powerful forces in the universe.

This is a photo of a tree that was planted in front of the building where my office is located. Trees help create healthier, safer, and more connected communities. Trees clean the air we breathe, filter the water we drink, and slow storm surge and flooding in our cities. Trees also provide shade and cool our cities by as much as 10 degrees, which can prevent heat-related deaths in urban areas. This particular tree and the ditch it’s planted in is a lawsuit-generating example of the law of unintended consequences despite the good intention behind it.

What can reduce the likelihood of unintended consequences? 1) planning 2) attention to detail and 3) a constant feedback loop that actually monitors the results of an action or change and then corrects it when and where necessary (translation: don’t plant trees near a busy building entrance or intersection and if you do then it’s time to re-evaluate the situation and remove it!) Onward and upward.