Drive Innovation through Culture Understanding the Problem and Focusing on the Solution

In my career, I have had the opportunity to manage great teams! Some have been natural collective problem-solving. I could state the issue, and I knew they would jump and find the solution – or multiple solutions. I have also had teams where they would focus more on the problem – endlessly spiraling around the issue, blaming it on others, all the while the solution was right in front of them. Creating a culture where understanding the problem is a launching point to finding the solution starts with the transformative principle known as reframing. Reframing encourages us to shift our perspectives, enabling us to explore unique solutions and fresh ideas in challenging situations. Reframing is a critical aspect of the process for those involved in design and design thinking. However, its application extends beyond professional design environments into our everyday lives and workplaces. The ability to reframe challenges is a skill possessed by effective leaders at all levels, enabling them to navigate the complexities of organizational life. In its essence, it helps us to see problems from multiple angles and find solutions to them. Building effective teams starts with leader and team members being able to have challenging conversations, being willing to adjust, and creating concrete steps to reform culture – because ultimately innovation is a mindset – it’s a culture, if it’s not naturally there, it’s only going to get there if we work at it, and if it is there – we must work to maintain it.

1. Challenging Conversations

We have to lead by example. If we want our teams to be innovative – to think outside the box, and find solutions that solve our customers, or company’s problems, that has to start with us as managers being willing to have difficult conversations, such as performance reviews or discussions about change, often fill us with dread and anxiety. We tend to avoid these conversations, postponing the fallout and the resolutions they might bring. However, by reframing these challenging discussions, we can transform them into opportunities for growth and innovation.

When faced with difficult feedback, it is crucial to recognize that these conversations are essential for problem-solving and identifying new ideas. Viewing challenging discussions through a positive lens – focusing on issue identification and collaboration – opens the door to constructive dialogue. For instance, understanding that an employee's performance issue likely stems from their desire to succeed allows us to engage in the conversation more empathetically. By reframing these situations, we create a space for collaboration that can lead to innovative solutions and enhance team dynamics.

In the face of competition, people often fall into a pattern of tunnel vision, fixating solely on the competition's strategies. This focus can lead to chaotic decision-making and misallocation of resources, ultimately hurting the team. Instead of lamenting a competitor's success, our teams should reframe their perspective to identify how they can improve, and what solutions they can propose to address the problems, so they can grow the business. We should turn that competitive spirit into a fire that fosters innovation, and works as a team to get there – not one that focuses on the internal challenges. Competition within a team is not necessarily healthy but reframing that desire to get ahead externally, to beat one's objectives, or the company’s competition helps foster a culture of innovation.

Instead of asking, “How can we match their offering?” organizations could benefit from reframing the question to, “Where can we solve problems for our customers that our competitors are neglecting?” or “How can we leverage our unique strengths to create value?” This shift in inquiry enables teams to innovate strategically, focusing their energy on avenues that will differentiate them rather than merely chasing competitors.

Choosing your people

Talent selection often revolves around determining who is most qualified for a position based on existing job descriptions and expectations. However, this narrow view can overlook essential qualities that may be crucial for future success. By reframing the criteria for talent selection, organizations can focus on finding individuals who demonstrate agility, openness to learning, and the ability to navigate change effectively.

Instead of asking, “Who’s the most qualified for the job?” leaders should consider the more forward-thinking question, “Who is most likely to help us evolve and adapt to future challenges?” This reframing allows for a rich pool of candidates who may bring diverse experiences and innovative thinking, necessary for driving organizational change and development.

Fostering a Culture of Reframing

To embed reframing as a core practice within teams, leaders can adopt several strategies that encourage team members to view challenges from multiple angles:

1. Encourage Solution Development Using Multiple Frames

Teams facing difficult decisions should be encouraged to explore various perspectives to identify potential solutions. Shifting the phrase “This is a problem” to “This is an opportunity” can catalyze innovative thinking. For instance, when an engineering team is stuck on a technical issue, reframing the problem allows them to unpack their assumptions, leading to breakthrough solutions that may not arise from a singular, problem-focused viewpoint.

2. Increase the Field of View

Many teams get bogged down in the minutiae of their challenges, losing sight of the bigger picture. By encouraging team members to zoom out and consider their challenges in the broader context of the marketplace and beyond, organizations can reveal underlying issues or opportunities that might otherwise remain hidden. For instance, a revenue shortfall may initially appear to stem from internal execution failures, but a broader analysis may reveal shifting customer preferences that necessitate strategic adjustments.

3. Rethink the Questions Being Asked

Deliberately challenging the questions at the heart of a problem can lead to valuable reframing. For example, transforming the inquiry from “How should we plan a birthday party for David?” to “How can we make David’s day memorable?” elevates the focus from logistics to impact, fostering more creative and engaging solutions.

4. Utilize "Why?" and "Why Not?" as Tools

Employing the “five whys” technique can reveal layers of issues by continually asking why a problem exists. Complementing this with the question “Why not?” can challenge self-imposed limitations and open up new avenues for inquiry and exploration, uncovering assumptions that may hinder creative solutions.

The Bottom Line

Adopting reframing as a habitual practice is an invaluable behavioral development for individuals and organizations alike. It promotes innovative thinking, enhances collaboration, and liberates teams from the constraints of conventional problem-solving approaches. Whether navigating challenging conversations, assessing competitive threats, or selecting talent, reframing provides a robust toolkit for unlocking potential solutions that may otherwise go unrecognized. Embracing this mindset not only invigorates team dynamics but could very well be the key to overcoming significant challenges in any organizational context. As we cultivate a culture of reframing, we empower ourselves and our teams to think beyond limitations and harness the full power of opportunity inherent in every challenge.