Some teams will be focused on problems. Others on solutions. And yet others on growth.

Interestingly, the problem and solution focus are essentially the same. What distinguishes them may be the quest to be positive and constructive instead of dealing with what might be experienced as a negative feeling that is associated with the need to fix things. The focus they share is on what isn’t there and what needs to be done.

A focus on growth doesn’t change the need for work to be done. It focuses on what is being done and what impact this has. Noticing and assessing what happened opens the possibility of learning what can be changed and under which circumstances.

It doesn’t evaluate what is being done in terms of success or failure. It is there to evaluate actions as producing the intended result or leading to unexpected results.

This might seem a fine nuance, but it isn’t.

It’s the difference between assuming that things need to be fixed and being open to exploring what and why it is happening. The question it raises is if fixing is in the foreground or learning?

The chosen perspective highlights the relationship one has with oneself as well as with others.