Becoming A Recession-Proof Leader. #3. Focus On the Solution, Not The Problem.

This month I've been speaking to my coaching clients about their most pressing challenges. As we dove into what keeps them up at night, five key themes emerged. I am eager to share these with you in the form of abbreviated tips to inform your thought-process and leadership insight.

Most coaching conversations and in fact, probably nearly all of your business meetings, revolve around problems. 

After all, this is the bread and butter of leadership. As you take on more responsibility, the problems get more complex, incessant and seemingly insolvable. You know all too well the ‘just choose the lesser evil’ temptation that does not always serve the long-term strategy.

And let’s not forget, problem-solving is most likely one of your key strengths that got you to your current position. Understandably, you also seek that ability when building teams.

Ahem…there is one problem with that. 

The more you talk about it, the bigger it gets. 

In an hour-long meeting, how much time do you spend discussing the problem and how much exploring the solution? 80/20 if you’re lucky.

We analyse the problem, look at it from different perspectives. Vent about it, rant about it, disagree about the causes. And we become problem-experts. 

What you focus on, grows, right? 

What if 80% of your agenda items were focused on the solution? 

I don’t mean solutionising and jumping to precipitated conclusions. 

I mean giving your focused attention to the resources, skills and opportunities already available, instead of regurgitating what’s not working or missing. 

Next time you hold a meeting, reframe the problem by asking a host of different questions:

1. What’s working already? Even a little bit? 

2. What has worked in the past?

3. How can we do more of what’s working? 

My coaching client has recently tried this simple yet not necessarily often-practiced approach. Not only did it reveal some resources already available, such as best practices gained by team members at previous employments, but it completely shifted the mood in the room!

Away from the blame culture and ''they've done it again'' whining and complaining mode, which is both time-consuming and ineffective, the whole team moved towards a more creative and collaborative solution-focused approach.

Of course, there will be instances, such as engineering or quality assurance projects, were analysing past-errors is absolutely the right thing to do to help prevent and minimise potential future mistakes.

Truth of the matter is though, with our negativity bias (the mind focusing on what could potentially go wrong to keep us safe) potentially limiting our scope of vision, the solution-focused approach can become your distinctive advantage.

How does this make you more recession-proof as a leader?

In the age of high inflation, political instability and supply chain challenges to name just a few, it is easy to fall prey to negative, fear-based thinking.

Solution-based approach does not call for ignoring any of the above, but invites you and the team to explore, appreciate and build on what already is working.

This can be team dynamics, customer loyalty, new market opportunities or any other number of factors that make your business successful.

It is easier and more effective to expand on your strengths than to eradicate even a small margin of error. Ultimately, a solutions-based focus fosters growth mindset in you and your team, making everyone much more resilient.

Not to mention, it makes the whole process much more enjoyable!

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