Bring the problems and let's think of solutions
"Don't bring me a problem, if you don't have a solution"
Told me my someone, who I consider a mentor and a great friend, a few years ago. At the time I considered the concept empowering and above all challenging. I perceived the phrase as a challenge to my problem-solving abilities from my creative point of view and was eager to prove to him and anyone else that I could handle all sorts of tasks.
Not that I haven’t done it before, I've always considered myself stubborn and try to exhaust all options to avoid asking for help until it’s absolutely necessary. In hindsight, this process has its good and bad side, good because I like to think that along the way, when navigating a problem I can learn something new, and bad because, I can't do it all by myself and sometimes have a different opinion or perspective other than mine, opens up the opportunity to solve challenges in a faster and more creative way.
It’s here when we can point out the limitations of the phrase:
"Bring me solutions, don't bring me problems."
Creating a work environment where employees feel or feel that they cannot discuss a problem with their bosses fosters an atmosphere of insecurity among people, hinders communication and collaboration, and tends to generate fear as it is the result of a culture of intimidation and even it can make it difficult for the team to distinguish priorities to the point of neglecting "small" problems that can possibly turn into crises.
So instead of limiting or even denying the opportunity to talk about workplace issues, we could shift our perspective from a solution-seeking mindset to one seeking growth.
A mentality that promotes growth, will achieve that precious and much-needed safe environment, which will allow and encourage clear and precise communication, honesty of situations, flexibility of thought and finally the collective idea that not having a solution is not reason to get anxious, stressed or feel incompetent. They are an opportunity to develop new skills, as we mentioned in the last entry ""The gift of failure".".
Research by Stanford University psychologist Carol Dweck, found that employees at a "growth mindset" company are:
47% more likely to say their colleagues are trustworthy.
49% more likely to say that the company encourages innovation.
For a long time I felt pressured and stressed for wanting to manage and solve my own work problems, when I was probably biasing myself by avoiding sharing and discussing them openly, in fact the day I finally talked about a problem I did it with a mindset of: "well, I give up and I'm going to drop this bomb". When the time came, the only thing that happened was that they listened to me and we jointly and collaboratively found a methodology to address the problem.
What I feared the most did not happen, the world did not end, the building was still standing, the sacred time line was not disturbed, I was not fired or scolded.
It was there where my mindset shifted from problem solving to growth.
Finally, it will be necessary to apply and reflect on the thought of Frances Frei, a professor at Harvard Business School:
"Identifying problems can be a solo sport, but finding solutions rarely is"
This article was translated by @ross.gspr
Disclaimer: The views expressed are personal opinions of the authors and do not reflect the views of affiliated organizations. The information is for informational purposes only and not intended as professional advice
Bansal, V. (2022, April 8). “Don’t Bring Me Problems, Bring Me Solutions” is Hurting Your Team. TechTello. https://www.techtello.com/dont-bring-me-problems-bring-me-solutions/#:%7E:text=’Don’t%20bring%20me%20problems,does%20is%20promote%20siloed%20thinking
The Problem with Saying “Don’t Bring Me Problems, Bring Me Solutions.” (2018, February 7). Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2017/09/the-problem-with-saying-dont-bring-me-problems-bring-me-solutions?language=es
