With spring arriving and everything around us beginning to grow, I want to share something personal that connects directly to the work I do with clients.
For those who’ve been following my newsletters, you know I started a fitness journey last year with my coach @Charlene Micciche. I’m now 14 months in, and I want to tell you about a breakthrough I had in the gym last week that made me think about how teams build problem-solving capability.
I was attempting a weight I’d never lifted before. I grabbed my phone and sent my coach a WhatsApp message: “I don’t think I can do this.” She instantly replied: “You already can. You just don’t know it yet.”
She was right. I lifted it. The capability was already there – I just needed the right support to unleash it.
That’s exactly what I see with teams who think they “can’t” solve problems faster.
Theory
Problem-solving capability isn’t binary (you have it or you don’t). It develops in stages:
Stage 1 – Unconscious Incompetence (Don’t know what you don’t know)
- Teams don’t see problems or understand their impact
- No problem-solving structure exists
- Waiting for crises to force action
Stage 2 – Conscious Incompetence (Know the gap, learning to fill it)
- Teams see problems but don’t know how to solve them systematically
- Beginning to build structure and tools
- Frequent stumbles, lots of coaching needed
Stage 3 – Conscious Competence (Can do it, but requires deliberate effort)
- Teams solve problems well when they focus on the process
- Structure exists and is followed with discipline
- Still requires reminders and reinforcement
Stage 4 – Unconscious Competence (It’s just how we work now)
- Problem-solving flows naturally throughout the team
- Structure is internalized, happens automatically
- Teams coach themselves and each other
Here’s the key insight: Most teams think they are at Stage 3 and trying to jump to Stage 4, when they’re actually still at Stage 2.
And most leaders are trying to unleash capability that hasn’t been fully developed yet.
My thoughts
What I realized in the gym – and what I see constantly with client teams – is this: the capability is usually closer than people think, but it needs the right structure and support to emerge.
My coach didn’t give me new muscles. She gave me:
- Progressive overload (gradually increasing challenge)
- Proper form (the right technique through video check-ins)
- Accountability (showing up consistently)
- Belief (being available via WhatsApp when I doubt myself)
That’s exactly what teams need to build problem-solving muscle:
- Progressive challenge (start with small problems, build to complex ones)
- Proper structure (clear processes for problem-solving)
- Accountability (discipline to follow the process)
- Support (coaching when they doubt themselves)
You can’t unleash capability that hasn’t been developed. But you also can’t develop capability you don’t believe is there.
Most teams have more capability than they’re using. They just need the right support to make it visible.
How to
Want to assess where your team is and what they need? Here’s how:
Assess your team’s current stage:
- Ask yourself: When problems arise, what happens?
- Stage 1: Problems aren’t identified until they’re crises
- Stage 2: Problems are identified, but solutions are inconsistent
- Stage 3: Problems are solved systematically, but requires discipline
- Stage 4: Problems are solved naturally as part of daily work
- Match support to stage:
- Stage 1 → 2: Teach them to see problems and their impact
- Stage 2 → 3: Provide structure and coach technique
- Stage 3 → 4: Reduce scaffolding, build confidence
- Stage 4: Get out of the way, remove remaining barriers
- Progressive challenge:
- Start with low-risk problems they can solve quickly
- Build confidence with early wins
- Gradually increase complexity
- Celebrate capability development, not just results
- Support them like my coach supports me:
- Be available when they need you (even if virtually)
- Believe in capability they can’t see yet
- Let them lift the weight themselves
- Respond quickly when they reach out for guidance
Call to action!
This spring, honestly assess where your team is in building problem-solving capability. Are you trying to unleash what hasn’t been developed? Or are you holding back capability that’s ready to emerge?
Match your support to their stage, and watch them grow.
Let’s build the muscle that makes work flow!
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Eli Sharp.
