This is the second installment in a series of reflections on management lessons that have stuck with me throughout my career. These are ideas passed on from mentors, forged in daily work, and refined through decades of leadership and education in both the financial services industry and military service. My hope is that by sharing these insights, I can contribute to a broader conversation—one that includes your experiences, agreements, disagreements, and alternative viewpoints.
Early in my credit union career, I had the privilege of working under an NCUA supervisory examiner who, in retrospect, had a lasting influence on how I approach leadership. At the time, I was young, eager and soaking up knowledge like a sponge. One simple but powerful principle he taught me was this: “It’s fine to use me as a sounding board, but if you come to me with a problem, you should always bring a recommended solution.”
That lesson stuck with me. In fact, I ‘grew up’ in the credit union industry thinking it was normal—just part of being a competent professional. I carried it with me into my concurrent military reserve career, assuming this mindset was widespread. It wasn’t. As I advanced in rank and responsibility, I learned that bringing a solution along with a problem is not a common habit. But it should be. Doing so sets you apart.
The Power of a Solution-Oriented Mindset
There’s a mental shift that happens when you're expected to offer solutions, not just flag issues. It primes the brain to move from what’s wrong to what can be done about it. Over time, it becomes a habit. You become more valuable—not just someone who observes, but someone who contributes to progress.
And here’s the interesting part: This habit often eliminates the need to consult with a supervisor in the first place. Many issues resolve themselves in the process of thinking through the potential fixes. You become more self-reliant, and your leaders come to see you as someone who lightens their load rather than adding to it.
Strategy and Focus: The Patton Perspective
General George Patton is often quoted as saying, “The critical ingredient in success is the ability to identify your primary objective and allow all secondary objectives to yield to its conclusion.” That principle aligns closely with this idea of bringing a solution. Before you can find a path forward, you have to know where you’re trying to go.
When faced with a problem, the first question you should ask yourself is: What’s the primary objective here? Not the loudest issue or the first problem that popped up—but the real goal. Once that’s clear, the irrelevant noise falls away, and the path forward becomes more obvious.
Urgency ≠ Importance
One final thought: don’t confuse urgency with importance. It’s easy to focus on the loudest alarm. For instance, if it’s 10:45 AM on a Friday and payroll is due by 11:00, that’s urgent. It must be done.
But your long-term strategic goals deserve the same level of clarity and commitment. Your plan to upgrade your systems, expand your membership base, or launch new services might not come with a deadline—but they’re no less important. Thinking through solutions in those areas requires the same intentionality and discipline as handling an immediate task.
A Habit Worth Building
The principle is simple: Always bring a solution. Over time, it becomes second nature. It makes you more strategic, more valuable and more trusted as a leader or team member. It creates thinkers instead of reporters—and that’s the kind of team every organization wants.
I’d love to hear your thoughts: Have you had a mentor who instilled similar habits? Do you encourage your team to bring solutions? Do you think this approach is teachable, or something people either have or don’t? Let’s start a conversation.