Being good at solving problems is one of the most useful skills to have. But let’s face it: many people (you can include yourself in this group) are also really, really good at admiring problems. They see a problem. They name it. And they talk about it. Over and over again. And then again. And then some more.
So in today’s blog, I’ll share a few problem-solving strategies. But first, I think we should explore this phenomenon of admiring problems. It is fascinating. And don’t get me wrong, I do it, from time to time. And my guess is, you do, too.
The phrase refers to situations in which individuals or groups of people, eg. work colleagues or sports teams, but also friend groups, find themselves in endless spirals of discussing, analysing, and lamenting problems - often in great detail, without taking the steps within their power to solve them. They go round and round in circles, looking at the beautiful, shiny problem from all angles and finding more and more things wrong with it. They spend a lot of time and energy trying to find absolutely everything that could possibly be wrong with this thing, idea, suggestion, approach, process, etc., and none on finding a solution.
Usually, admiring a problem includes over-analysing, ie, dissecting the problem without moving closer to a solution. It may include avoidance. This sort of problem admiration can be used as an excuse for inaction (‘I can’t do anything because of problem XYZ’), and sometimes people become quite invested in problems or connect over admiring problems. Talking about the problem becomes their point of connection and common ground, and so it is difficult to let go.
The thing is, it is much easier to admire a problem than it is to solve one. It is much easier to pick holes in someone else’s suggestion, approach, and idea than it is to put your own ideas out there. It is much easier to question and find fault with the status quo than it is to propose and implement a new normal.
But admiring problems is also miserable… for the person admiring problems and for everyone around them (if they admire out loud).
Here are a couple of examples of what admiring the problem could look like:
You and your partner/flatmates frequently talk about how messy the shared living room is. You’ve had multiple conversations about how it’s affecting everyone’s mood. You often joke about it, but each time it’s only half meant as a joke.
But…
No one has asked, “OK, so what are we going to do about this?” or suggested a solution.
Result: The problem is well-understood and often discussed—but nothing changes. Everyone gets more and more frustrated.
That is admiring the problem.
A work example would be:
Your team complains every week that meetings are too long and unproductive. Everyone agrees it’s a problem because it feels like a waste of everyone’s time.
But…No one has made suggestions about a different agenda format, set time limits, or a different meeting frequency.
Result: The issue is acknowledged and over-analysed, but no action is taken. Frustration increases.
This is a problem well-admired.
Not solved.
Now, let’s look at a few problem-solving strategies you can try:
The thing is, if used deliberately and for a limited period of time, admiring problems can actually be helpful. You can use it as a strategy to solve problems. Here is how
Instead of skipping over this part and leaving it unaddressed, you can deliberately invite people to ‘admire problems’. If we take the unproductive meetings example, you could say,
“I have heard a couple of things about the meetings being unproductive at times. Let’s take ten minutes to admire that problem. Let’s put the frustrations this causes on the table first, so we know what we are dealing with.”
Approaching it head-on can have several advantages. It might create a shared understanding of what exactly the problem is. It can feel validating to share a problem you see and have others confirm that they too experience this as a problem. Admiring a problem might help clearly define what the problem actually is. It is important to limit the time to admire problems though. After that, it’s key to shift towards a solution-focus. You could ask,
“What would better look like?”
Another strategy you could try is Reverse Thinking.
Instead of thinking, “How could I solve this problem?” you ask, “How could I create this problem?”
This can be fun.
Why it works:
It helps you uncover hidden causes, challenge assumptions, and think creatively by flipping your perspective.
How to Use It:
Here is a work example:
Define the problem e.g., “We are not collaborating well as a team?”
Reverse it → “How could we make collaboration worse?”
Brainstorm bad ideas e.g., don’t share information, keep meetings vague and unstructured, avoid giving feedback, work in silos, and never ask for help.
Flip those ideas into solutions, e.g., create clear communication channels, set structured & purposeful meetings, encourage open feedback, and deliberately look for and promote opportunities for teamwork across teams.
Evaluate and implement
You can use it in your personal life too:
Define the problem, e.g., you want to wake up earlier, but you keep hitting snooze and feeling tired in the morning.
Reverse it → “How can I make it as hard as possible to wake up and get out of bed in the morning?”
Brainstorm bad ideas, e.g., go to bed late, spend hours looking at a phone screen, eat a heavy meal just before bed, put the alarm right next to my bed so I can snooze it easily
Flip those ideas into solutions, e.g., go to bed early, come off the phone well before bedtime, eat big meals several hours before going to bed, put my alarm across the room or in another room.
Evaluate and Implement
5 WHYs strategy:
Name the problem, then ask ‘Why?” five times.
Why it works:
Asking ‘why’ a few times challenges assumptions. You go beyond surface level as you explore what the causes for the problem are. This allows you to address the underlying issues that cause the problem.
Example:
You are feeling distant from a partner or a friend.
Problem: “I feel like we’re growing apart.”
Why do I feel like we’re growing apart?
Because we don’t spend much quality time together.
Why don’t we spend quality time together?
Because we’re both busy with work and other responsibilities.
Why are we managing to fit in work & other responsibilities, but not quality time together?
Because we don’t schedule time for each other, while we do schedule time for other things.
Why don’t we schedule time?
Because we assume we’ll find time naturally.
Why do we assume that?
Because we used to have more free time and fewer responsibilities, and didn’t need to plan our catch-ups as much.
Root Cause: Lack of intentional planning for connection and quality time.
Solution: Set regular, scheduled time for each other—even short check-ins or shared meals.
And last, but not least, you could try 1 - 3 - 1 as a problem-solving strategy.
This is a collaborative decision-making strategy.
How it works:
1 - First you define the problem, just one problem. Define it clearly.
3 - Then you think of three possible solutions to the problem. These should be well thought out, not random.
1 - And last, you make one recommendation and explain why this is the best option in your view.
Why it works:
It pushes you to think about three genuine options for solutions. To think about those, you need to go beyond admiring (or complaining about) the problem.
Sport Example:
1 Problem:
Miscommunication on the field is leading to mistakes and missed opportunities.
3 Solutions:
Introduce regular team-building and communication drills.
Assign clear roles and responsibilities before each game.
Use video analysis to review and discuss communication breakdowns.
1 Recommendation:
Use video analysis — it provides objective feedback and helps the team learn together.
Creativity Example:
1 Problem:
I feel like I have no creative ideas and can’t get any of my personal projects going.
3 - Solutions
start daily sketching or journaling to get into a habit
Go to creative spaces like art galleries or attend productions to get inspired
Join a creative community or a challenge
1 - Recommendation:
start a daily creative habit.
These are some of the problem-solving strategies you can try if you do find yourself stuck in a spiral of admiring problems, or if you are just looking for a different way to solve problems. Have a play with them and see how you go.
That’s it from me for another week. If you have found this useful or know someone else who will, please share it with them.
And, as always, I’d love to hear from you.
Key points:
Admiring problems can be useful, if done with intent and for a limited period of time.
Admiring problems without action to solve them can become draining and frustrating for the admirer and everyone around them.
You can try specific problem-solving strategies to find solutions that work for you.
Reflective Questions:
When was the last time you faced a problem?
How did you solve it?
Think of a problem you have admired, or think of a problem someone else around you has admired or is currently admiring. What is the problem? How long has it been admired for?
What strategy could you use to solve this problem?
