Solutions, not Problems

From the beginning of our careers, army officers are ingrained with the directive to approach superiors with solutions rather than problems. This expectation is rooted in the essence of leadership: to identify issues, thoughtfully consider them, and propose actionable solutions. Interestingly, I don’t recall any formal training as a platoon leader that specifically addressed this "solutions over problems" mindset. It wasn’t until my time as a young captain at the Combined Arms and Services Staff School (CAS3) that I encountered this principle directly. In the 1980s and 1990s, CAS3 served as the foundational course introducing us to the complexities of battalion-level staff work. It was there that I first heard the phrase “come to your commander with solutions, not problems.” That lesson has stayed with me across nearly 30 years of military service, long after other training details have faded.

This principle endures because it underscores a fundamental truth about leadership: while problems are evident and pervasive, a leader’s role is to look beyond them to devise meaningful solutions. Developing solutions often requires a collaborative approach, especially with complex challenges that call for multifaceted strategies. Leadership is rarely about solitary decisions; rather, it is the result of coordinated efforts from a team, working together to create effective, sustainable solutions. In essence, true leadership expects you to be part of the solution—not part of the problem. Focus not on assigning blame but on identifying and addressing the root cause. By correcting issues constructively, leaders foster an environment of growth, accountability, and progress.

In my next article, I’ll draw parallels between the above approach to leadership and to civilian equivalents that may help you to bridge structured, solution-focused strategies from military contexts into everyday organizational settings.