Nurturing Problem-Solving Skills In Our Teammates



Choosing what to eat for breakfast. Picking out what to wear for the day. Charting out a new project. Saying no to a proposal. Our days are full of decisions. Some are small, while others could affect a company’s profit margins or a person’s career trajectory.

As leaders, we have learned to feel comfortable with the process of problem-solving and thoughtfully making decisions when the time comes. However, we may come across team members who need our guidance to do the same. Especially those with what are traditionally referred to as “left-brain,” analytical minds can suffer “analysis paralysis,” where an overload of information or uncertainty can make decision-making impossible.

Here are some ways you, as a leader, can nurture the skill of problem-solving in your employees.

Guide, Don’t Solve

First, it is very important to guide your people toward solving the problem rather than immediately solving it yourself. I know of a team in which one member was struggling to fully understand and utilize the company’s AI programming to its fullest capacity. A more experienced colleague tried to help, but he would simply pull up a chair to the team member’s desk and figure out the issue or use the function himself without fully explaining what he was doing and why. That team member needed someone to support his learning process, not someone to just “fix it.”

If you give a person a fish, you feed them for a day. If you teach them to fish, you feed them for a lifetime. This team member needed to be taught more about the program. He needed to be shown training materials or given non-priority work tasks that would give him the freedom to experiment and play around with the programming, learning the ins and outs of the application. Having a colleague fix each specific issue was only providing fish for a day—not teaching him to fish for a lifetime.

Nip Perfectionism In The Bud

Another aspect of nurturing problem-solving is to offer assurances that perfection is unattainable. Too many people are afraid of being wrong. Of course, being wrong about everything is not the goal. However, if the fear of making a bad decision stops a person from making any decisions, then no progress will be made. Talk to your people about this difficulty and explain that you understand and embrace the struggle that is part of the process of decision-making.

One of the best ways we can demonstrate this struggle is to share stories about times we ourselves have experienced difficulties with business issues and then grown from those moments. We can talk about the processes that we used to overcome challenging situations and how they were eventually resolved. And if appropriate, we can invite them to glimpse some challenges that our team or company is currently working through. Talking about struggles, both past and present, can make the conversation commonplace and combat some of the fear that may fester in an indecisive personality.

I have a friend who says that she has no regrets because she always makes the best decisions with the information she has at the time; I think that way of thinking fosters confidence in the problem-solving process.

Encourage Collaboration

Lastly, I recommend fostering collaboration in problem-solving. If someone is having a rough time in a project or wrestling with a decision, they are much more likely to overcome those challenges in a collaborative environment. A company culture that encourages teammates to approach others with challenges and ask for collaborative thinking sessions to brainstorm solutions is ideal.

Several people recognizing a struggle and working together to overcome it will help a person see that their struggle is valid. Also, collaborative thinking will hopefully provide several creative solutions and cut down on the time it would have taken to solve an issue if it were just one person.

Final Thoughts

Cultivating our team’s ability to face multifaceted obstacles with confidence is beneficial for everyone. When we nurture resourcefulness and independent thinking, we can trust in our team’s capacity to grapple with any of the many business problems that may arise daily—both large and small.

A Leader’s Power Of Observation



How well do you know the people you work with? How observant are you about their personalities, attitudes, schedules, work ethic or team interactions?

Employee satisfaction often stems from a sense of being seen or feeling valued in the workplace, so with that in mind, it is the leader’s responsibility to observe and see. The power of observation is a handy tool for a business leader in any field.

Noticing and acknowledging a person’s work or accomplishments can positively impact both the output and morale of that employee. Feeling seen has a powerful effect on the psyche and will act as a motivating factor to continue excelling in their tasks.

For example, a client of mine was charged with creating several lengthy marketing materials for her company. The project was estimated to take a year, and she broke it up into small steps to make sure she was reaching her goals in a timely fashion to adhere to the year-end deadline. After six months, she was halfway through and losing steam. Several aspects of the project were more challenging than originally anticipated, and a change in staffing limited her ability to rely on colleagues. She felt that after so many months of work—the finish line seemed very far away.

Though not her boss, I was able to encourage her and validate her efforts to motivate her through the rough spots. However, what if she hadn’t had a coach on her side observing, noticing and validating her efforts? How much more motivating would it have been if her own supervisor had been observant of her triumphs and struggles and encouraged her along the way? The process of creating those materials may have been less rocky. A good leader would have seen her frustration with lags and delays and taken a moment to encourage her through them. When your struggles feel seen and acknowledged, the work somehow seems easier and less frustrating.

Observing is not limited to an individual or their work. It can also be noticing a team’s social dynamics. Noticing how teammates interact and work together can provide valuable insight into their strengths, weaknesses, challenges and opportunities. Observing interactions can also help leaders see breakdowns in communication and tension points early—allowing them to address and diffuse issues before any serious repercussions affect the work culture or negatively impact employees’ psychological safety.

Another of my clients was a fantastic observer of his team. He started noticing an extroverted and talkative employee constantly interrupting other teammates in meetings. This employee was well-liked, and his interruptions were often dismissed by others without a second thought—except for one teammate. After being talked over or shut down during the meetings over the course of several weeks, my client noticed that she spoke less, contributing little to group meetings and instead resorting to one-on-one email communications. She took the interruptions very personally. This was unfortunate because her insights and contributions were often valuable to the whole team. After addressing the issue with both parties—asking the extrovert to wait his turn and encouraging the other to speak up—the issue was resolved.

People want to be seen, so it might be time for leaders to start looking. Noticing and acknowledging a person’s work or a group dynamic can positively impact both the work output and morale of a team. What discoveries might you make by just taking the time to observe?

A Curious Leader: Keep Asking Questions



“Be curious, not judgmental,” quotes the loveable protagonist from the acclaimed show Ted Lasso. This scene is a classic “mic drop” moment that I find inspiring. While the origin of the quote is murky, and the character is fictional, the sentiment is simple and effective.

Curiosity is an underestimated and understated leadership trait. Asking questions and searching for answers is a powerful tool for any career.

Growth Mindset

In a world of constant change, curiosity is a sign of a growth mindset—a willingness and ability to change and adapt. Asking good questions allows you to understand challenges from all different angles to make better-informed decisions.

For example, one of my clients, Leslie, was promoted to a new role within the company she had been working at for years. Though she wanted to impress and was excited about the opportunity, she took the first few months to ask lots of questions. Despite her experience, Leslie knew that there was so much more to know about the workings of that new department and industry in general.

Harnessing her innate curiosity and pairing it with critical thinking, she evaluated the current processes set in place and found that several of the standards and norms had been created decades prior, according to the market at the time. By making a few tweaks to update and rejuvenate certain rules and regulations that better fit the current-day economy, she created several more earnings opportunities for the company that had been previously overlooked. Her process of asking questions paid off—literally. Nobody had thought to ask questions in years or reexamine the status quo. Her curiosity was key to both her personal growth and the company’s.

What If …?

Asking open-ended questions such as “What if …?” is also a marker of curiosity that aids leaders’ foresight in certain situations. Questioning current processes or wondering what the future will hold can help a leader anticipate and adapt to changes in the business world.

Resilience is the idea that people can take a challenge and make it into a beneficial situation. Curiosity allows them to do just that—urging them to examine all sides of a situation, ask questions and then come to a fuller understanding of every circumstance, which allows that leader to better navigate their team through it.

Relationships With Coworkers

Curiosity can also aid in team building and interpersonal relationships within your team.

In a diverse office, there are all types of backgrounds and personalities, so there are bound to be conflicts and misunderstandings on any given team. Asking open-ended questions can help people navigate tricky situations.

For example, Melissa worked on a tight-knit team of six people, and while her boss seemed content with Melissa’s work, her co-worker Alice wanted to go over every project that Melissa was working on. Melissa felt crowded and that her colleague was overstepping her bounds by making so many tweaks and changes to her projects. Instead of letting those feelings of frustration ruin the relationship, she let her curiosity take over.

She invited Alice to have coffee with her and asked questions such as “What interests you about this presentation?” and “Do you believe there is more I could be doing on this project?” and “Where does this project overlap with your responsibilities?”

Through this line of questioning, Melissa discovered that Alice was interested in learning more about the project Melissa was working on because she wanted to learn more about the subject material in general. Alice also thrived in a teamwork environment, so she felt that collaborating on Melissa’s project allowed her to better perform in her own tasks. In fact, she was hoping that Melissa would take the initiative to offer feedback on Alice’s projects to emulate a more collaborative effort.

By understanding Alice’s perspective, Melissa and her colleague were able to forge a better working relationship with boundaries and healthy collaboration. As Ted Lasso suggested, they decided to avoid judgment and pursue curiosity.

Final Thoughts

So, how can leaders foster curiosity in themselves? If curiosity does not come naturally to you, it can be practiced and cultivated in a variety of ways. We can—and should—be perpetual students.

By participating in workshops or taking classes relevant to your industry or career, you will automatically be learning new things and sparking new questions. You can also make a point of regularly talking to a variety of people with different backgrounds and perspectives. Asking about their viewpoints and thoughts can spark fascinating and eye-opening conversations. Schedule time in your calendar to reflect on them, too.

By consistently asking questions and searching for answers, leaders have the potential to disrupt the status quo and transform their work and teams into productive and rewarding places. So, what has you curious today?

Do You Need To Clean Out Your Communication Filters?




Former presidential speechwriter James Humes is often quoted as saying, “The art of communication is the language of leadership.” I wholeheartedly agree that effective communication is an art form—and a soft skill that leaders must develop.

How ‘Filters’ Shape How We Receive Communication

One set of obstacles to clear communication is our own individual filters by which we both convey and process information. Our personal experiences and upbringing help shape the development of our communication style and perception of the world. These filters differ from person to person, and in any given office setting—especially a diverse workplace with different nationalities, economic backgrounds and generations all working together—there are countless experiences represented.

As an example, my client, whom I’ll call Lauren, runs a team of women from the Gen-Z and Millennial generations. She takes pride in their success and likes to take them under her wing, offering feedback to help guide them in their projects and tasks. Her intention is to boost their confidence and careers. She did not have a mentor in her formative years and would have liked one. So, she tries to use her own experience and expertise to uplift her team. However, one of her mentees did not take Lauren’s criticism well and began to resent the feedback.

After analyzing the situation, Lauren realized that this mentee came from a previous workplace that prioritized perfectionism and productivity. When Lauren provided constructive feedback, the mentee interpreted the message as a negative opinion of her work and a criticism of her performance and abilities. Once Lauren understood the filter through which the mentee was processing this information, she was able to change how she communicated; she even openly discussed with the mentee that her feedback was meant to uplift, not bring her down. Once she received that reassurance, the mentee was able to adjust her communication filter and start receiving Lauren’s guidance in a more gracious and open way.

Beware Of Cloudy Filters

This type of breakdown in communication happens all the time. Cloudy filters or dust from the past can distort our perception of interactions on a daily basis. A woman who was bullied by the popular girls in high school might be wary of anything a pretty or “popular” officemate says to her. An extrovert might think that the guy with glasses is rude because he never greets her in the hallway; really, he is a shy introvert for whom small talk is difficult. A colleague might feel slighted by coworkers who show up a few minutes late to her meetings because punctuality was a sign of respect in her family, and tardiness was a sign of disrespect.

Each of these people comes with “cloudy filters,” applying past experiences to present-day situations. While the past is valuable, and sometimes these filters are accurate and helpful, sometimes they need to be examined, addressed and dusted off.

Leaders: Examine Your Own Filters

To practice the art of communication, leaders should examine their own filters. What past experiences are shaping how we receive information? What feelings keep popping up in certain situations that might be indicative of our own filters? Have there been encounters with colleagues where we were unable to see eye to eye, and how might our filter have been a part of that inability to communicate? Maybe things that have been said (or have gone unsaid) were interpreted in a different way than they were intended.

By understanding that these communication filters exist in all of us, leaders are in a better position to examine and possibly readjust their language and communication strategies to both receive input without unintentional biases as well as better provide clear messaging to others in the workplace.

Shaping Your Job To Fit Like A Glove



When a role seems tailor-made to your strengths and skill set, you have a better chance of success. The jobs that fit like a glove can seem rare, but with a bit of intentional effort and thoughtful evaluation, today’s business leaders can shape their position to find the perfect fit.

First, we must take a big step back from our to-do list and evaluate the big picture of our role. Often, when onboarding in a new leadership position, we are given the facts about what the previous occupant did. Historically speaking, what was the person in that role responsible for, and how did they achieve their goals?

While that information during a leadership transition can be incredibly useful, remember that you are not your predecessor. You have your own set of strengths and talents.

For example, one of my former clients—let’s call her Heather—was hired as a marketing director in a company whose main clientele was Hispanic. The person who previously occupied the role oversaw the creation of bilingual marketing campaigns geared toward that specific demographic. He took the already existing English material and worked to translate it into Spanish, so when Heather took on the position, there were already campaigns in place.

She could have easily continued within the parameters that her predecessor had set, but her skill set was different. She identified the need for developing campaigns in Spanish first, as the language felt more natural and represented the company better culturally when the campaigns were written first in Spanish for Spanish speakers—as opposed to simple translations from materials written in English. She worked to gather a reliable team of Spanish-speaking creatives to design campaigns moving forward, which were all very well received.

Do you see the difference? The role required both people to create marketing campaigns, but they did it in different ways. The previous employee was a fantastic translator and worked according to his own skill set, whereas Heather knew that her value came from organizing teams to create and distribute authentic campaigns in the target language. She understood the position’s overarching goals and molded how she worked to better fit her strengths and talents. Following the path that the previous director had taken would have been ill-advised.

So, how can you tailor-fit your position to best suit you? A helpful exercise I encourage my clients to do is to write a job description for themselves in their current role. This is beneficial not only when starting a new role but also when evaluating your current one. As the economy and companies change, roles do, too. Perhaps the original job description that you were hired for has changed or evolved over time, and you need to be aware of those shifts, however subtle they are.

Once you have your job description, discuss it with your team and supervisor. Make sure that you are all on the same page.

Next, look at your strengths. What do you bring to the table to help achieve the benchmarks of this role? Imagine a simple Venn diagram with two circles—one is the demands of the job, and the other is your strengths. Where do those two circles intersect? Focus on that intersection and home in on the areas where you can excel and contribute.

Instead of getting bogged down with the historical “must-dos” of the role, it may be time to evaluate what your individual capabilities can bring to the team to meet the current needs. This simple idea can revolutionize the way that we take on our work. We do not have to get bogged down in our to-do lists, but instead identify and focus on the tasks that align with our strengths, delegating the rest to capable teammates. In time, you too may find that you have shaped your position to be a perfect fit.