Episode Transcript
Hi there, dear listeners. Welcome to 3 Minute Reframe, or 3MR as the cool kids say. The goal here is to share an idea that has reframed my perspective in some way in the hopes that it helps you do the same. Today, we’re diving into bring me the problems. So I was on a video call with thousands of employees when a senior leader said, I have far more respect for the colleagues who bring me solutions, not just problems.
So this phrase is all part of that don’t bring me problems, bring me solutions type of thinking. And in my experience, it’s perhaps the most efficient way to inhibit a healthy feedback system. And while I understand the intention, nobody wants a culture of relentless complaining, forcing colleagues who identify a flaw to also have the perfect fix is a form of hierarchical validation. It implies I reached this level because I brought solutions, you must do the same. But let’s be practical. If my car starts rattling after a mechanic visit,
Do I wait until I can fix the car myself before calling? If a colleague and supply chain notices a web performance issue, should they wait to relay that feedback until they’ve learned web development? Of course not. As Harvard Business School professor Francis Frei noted years ago, this mandate encourages employees to not surface problems they see just because they can’t figure out how to solve them. Identifying problems can be a solo sport, but finding solutions rarely is.
Instead of promoting accountability, this phrase can promote silence, it forces people to filter bad news, costing you precious lead time to avert a crisis. The alternative is an eight word swap I use that completely reframes the culture around feedback. Bring me problems and we will seek solutions. This encourages early warning and establishes that finding the fix is a shared act of leadership. For this week’s resource, I recap this topic in a blog post titled, Don’t Just Come to Me with a Problem – a feedback inhibitor, you can find the full article linked in the show notes or transcript. And here’s your inquiry for the week. Where in your work or life have you been hesitant to raise a legitimate concern because you felt you needed the perfect solution? What would change if you simply adopted the mantra, bring me problems and we will seek solutions? That’s 3MR for this week. If you enjoyed the episode, please subscribe, share it with a friend. I’ll be back next week.
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