Don't just stand there, DO SOMETHING
Maybe its time to step back and define the problem
I’m quick to act. Quick to find the flaw, name the fix, start the next thing.
I like that about myself. It feels good to be the one who knows what to do next. But the older I get, the more I have been asking: do I actually know?
Because when I look back at some of my “improvements,” they weren’t really that. They were fast decisions. Familiar plays. Good intentions. But not always rooted in the right problem. The moment something feels obvious, I’m learning that’s probably when I need to stop and dig.
In the past, when something broke or lagged…. say lead volume, win rates, team energy and I went straight to motion.
A new idea.
A new sequence.
A new plan.
I told myself I was being decisive. Agile. That action beats inaction. I am starting to recoginize sometimes I was just avoiding the discomfort of not knowing.
“More leads” is easier to say than “I don’t know what’s really keeping people from raising their hand.”
“Better close rate” is easier than facing the nuance of why our deals are stalling and what that says about trust, timing, or clarity.
While I took action on the fix the actual solution always felt out of reach, but maybe that’s because I never slowed down long enough to name the actual issue.
I’ve been solving symptoms. Chasing signals. Running fast, without asking where the road even leads. I kept thinking that if I just do more, something will click. But I wasn’t building momentum. I was filling the calendar.
Because “more leads” isn’t a strategy.
“Improve win rates” isn’t a plan.
They’re outcomes. But outcomes of what? If I don’t know what’s causing the friction, how can I expect anything I try to fix it?
The truth is: I’ve been busy, but not always clear. And that’s a painful realization for someone who prides himself on being sharp.
I’m starting to believe that clarity is the best form of speed.
Before I try to improve anything, I need to define it.
Before I start solving, I need to understand.
I’m learning to stop and ask: What exactly is the constraint? Where is the breakdown? What would be different if I fixed it?
Not in general. In specifics. In plain language. In cause and effect. Because once I get that level of definition, the path usually shows itself. Not always easily. But without the usual thrashing.
From now on, whenever I catch myself saying something like “we need more leads,” or “our close rate is down,” or “this isn’t working,” I’ll stop and ask:
What, EXACTLY, is the real problem underneath that? Plus, how do I know that?
And I won’t move until I can write it in a sentence that doesn’t include a buzzword. I’m not doing this to be clever. I’m doing it to make sure the next thing I fix actually matters.
The question I’m sitting with now:
Where am I chasing improvement without first defining the problem?
You’re Invited
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July cohort of the OnPurpose Growth Community.
This is where we go deeper, helping fractional leaders and consultants build momentum through clarity, focus, and peer support.
If this issue hit home, you don’t have to navigate it alone.
We’d love to walk alongside you.