“The problem is not the problem; the problem is the way we see the problem.” - Saji Ijiyemi
Most leaders treat challenges as obstacles to remove. Falling margins. New competitors. Budget cuts. Operational friction.
The reflex is defensive. How do we fix this? How do we contain it? How do we get back to normal?
But what if the issue is not the situation itself… What if it is the frame you apply to it?
Two companies face the same disruption.
One sees a threat.
The other sees a pivot.
Same facts. Different lens.
Turn the Drag Into Drive
Strategic breakthroughs rarely come from comfort. They come from pressure. A budget cut forces focus. A new competitor forces differentiation. A market shock forces reinvention.
What feels like a drag can become a catalyst. But only if you reframe it!
Instead of asking “How do we get rid of this problem?” Ask “What is this problem forcing us to rethink?”
Reframing Is a Leadership Skill
The constraint is not always the enemy. Your interpretation might be. The best leaders do not panic at friction. They interrogate it. They look for the opportunity hidden inside the inconvenience.
Because often, the problem is not the problem.
The way you see it is.
Author: Anael Granoux | Strategy Advisor, Lecturer, Speaker