“Problems are not stop signs, they are guidelines.” —Robert H. Schuller
The Fix-It Frame: Cultivating a Solution-Oriented Mindset Across the Org Chart
“Don’t bring me problems—bring me solutions.”
It’s a phrase that’s been etched into the walls of many a war room and executive whiteboard. It’s also a phrase that has been widely misunderstood. Encouraging a solution-oriented mindset doesn’t mean stifling the identification of problems. Rather, it means fostering a culture where problems are not just flags of failure, but invitations to collaborate, create, and course-correct.
In this post, we’ll walk through the evolution of solution-oriented thinking, what it looks like when done right, how it scales across complex organizations, what to do when someone resists it, and how to lead others toward it without sounding like a motivational poster.
Historical Context: From Problem-Solving to Solution-Orientation
The emphasis on “solutions, not problems” gained traction in the late 20th century, particularly in the Total Quality Management (TQM) movement and Lean manufacturing, pioneered by leaders like W. Edwards Deming and Taiichi Ohno. The mindset was simple: don’t just report what’s broken—understand why it’s broken, and make a plan to fix it. In the Agile movement, this thinking matured further: retrospectives, blameless postmortems, and continuous improvement all embedded solution-orientation into process frameworks.
But as organizations grew more complex, the challenge shifted from technical problem-solving to social and organizational problem-solving. Cross-functional collaboration, stakeholder misalignment, and vague accountability structures meant that solution-oriented thinking couldn’t just be about individual initiative—it had to be systemic.
What Does a Solution-Oriented Mindset Actually Look Like?
In practical terms, solution-oriented people share several key traits:
- They frame challenges with “how might we…” questions. This invites collaboration instead of blame.
- They take ownership without overreaching. They step in where they have influence and invite others where they need alignment.
- They balance optimism with realism. They believe a path forward exists, but don’t ignore constraints.
- They show up prepared. When raising a problem, they’ve already done some thinking or prototyping.
- They listen to understand, not to win. They’re trying to get to “better,” not just “right.”
You’ll often find these individuals sitting at the intersection of teams—not because they were told to be there, but because they saw a disconnect and moved toward it.
What Good Looks Like: Case Examples
1. Spotify’s Squad Model
In Spotify’s early days, engineering squads were given full autonomy and responsibility to solve customer problems, not just deliver code. The entire organizational model—tribes, chapters, and guilds—was built to reinforce a culture of local ownership and global alignment. The unspoken rule? Don’t bring a problem to leadership unless you’ve at least workshopped a possible path forward with your peers.
2. Bridgewater Associates
Ray Dalio’s radical transparency model works when paired with solution-orientation. At Bridgewater, even junior employees are empowered to flag issues—as long as they bring data and possible solutions. Dalio’s principles-driven approach helps depersonalize challenges and create clarity around what a better future state could look like.
What Bad Looks Like: Anti-Patterns in the Wild
- The “not my job” syndrome. Problems are reported up, not owned. People wait for someone else to fix it.
- Blame-seeking behavior. Individuals focus on who caused the problem rather than what can be done.
- Doom-loop dynamics. Meetings become cycles of problem admiration, where everyone agrees things are bad, but no next steps are offered.
- Over-indexing on positivity. Sometimes “solution-oriented” becomes code for “don’t be negative,” which stifles honest discourse.
One of the most corrosive versions is a leader who demands solutions but punishes experimentation. That breeds fear, compliance, and eventually silence.
How to Apply It Cross-Functionally and Organizationally
- Normalize raising problems and proposing options. Encourage teams to always frame issues with at least one “have we considered…” idea.
- Make it safe to be wrong. If people feel they’ll be penalized for imperfect solutions, they won’t try. Reward curiosity and experimentation.
- Create clear ownership structures. Diffuse accountability kills solution-orientation. If no one owns it, no one fixes it.
- Use shared language. Frameworks like DACI (Driver, Approver, Contributor, Informed) or RACI help eliminate the “who’s doing what” confusion.
- Train on structured thinking. Techniques like “5 Whys,” A3 problem-solving, and SWOT analysis help teams move from venting to validating.
Coaching and Leading When It’s Missing
When someone lacks a solution-oriented mindset, you don’t fix it with a pep talk. You diagnose the why.
- Are they burned out?
- Do they lack confidence?
- Have they been punished before for trying?
- Do they not see a path to impact?
Once you understand the blocker, meet them where they are. For example:
- Coach through questions: “What would you try first if there were no barriers?”
- Model the behavior: Share your own approach when you faced a similar issue.
- Give them wins: Let them pilot a small change and recognize their effort.
- Connect them with others: Partner them with someone who already has that mindset.
Influencing the Culture Shift
To scale a solution-oriented mindset, leadership must walk the talk:
- Use solution-framing in your own updates.
- Praise not just the win, but the approach.
- Make space for solution jams—dedicated time to co-create fixes, not just talk status.
One underrated technique: Don’t answer right away. When someone brings you a problem, respond with: “What have you tried?” or “What do you think the first step might be?” This builds the muscle without forcing the mindset.
Wrapping up…
A solution-oriented culture is not built with slogans or laminated values. It’s built moment by moment—through the tone in meetings, the way feedback is delivered, and the way wins are shared.
Some people naturally lean into it. Others need to be shown the water and taught to swim. But when a critical mass adopts this mindset, something magical happens:
Problems stop being blockers.
They become building materials.
