Somewhere between the rise of endless meetings and the age of online commentary, something shifted. We used to ask, “How do we fix this?” Now the question sounds more like, “What’s wrong, and who should we call out about it?”
Spotting problems has become a modern skill set. People get credit for it. They look observant, aware, “in the know.” Meanwhile, offering a solution feels almost old-fashioned, like showing up with an old Nokia Communicator phone and insisting it’s still cool.
The Era of the Problem Parade
In workplaces and digital spaces, pointing out what’s broken has become the quickest way to participate. Psychologists call it low-cost signaling: it’s easy, it’s safe, and it makes you look engaged. Saying something is flawed requires no commitment. Suggesting a fix, however, requires thought, responsibility, and the possibility that someone will say, “No, that won’t work.”
Naturally, the brain chooses the easier option.
Why the Negative Gets the Spotlight
Our minds are built to notice what’s wrong before what’s possible. Negativity registers faster. Threats get attention. Solutions? They take time, patience, and the uncomfortable willingness to be wrong in public.
And since many people would prefer to avoid criticism, they stay in their comfort zone. They identify the issue, then quietly shift the spotlight to someone else to “figure it out”.
The Cost of a No-Solutions Culture
When pointing out problems becomes the main event, workplaces drift toward stagnation. Teams start believing nothing can be changed. Leaders end up carrying the weight of every unresolved issue. Employees stop offering ideas because they’re not convinced anyone actually wants to listen, let alone act on them.
The environment becomes heavy, even if everyone believes they’re being “transparent.”
Relearning the Art of Solutions
Shifting back doesn’t require a grand transformation, just a cultural nudge. Organizations that encourage psychological safety see people offer ideas more freely. They value attempts, not just polished outcomes. They treat solutions as experiments rather than final answers.
When people believe their input might lead somewhere, they stop announcing problems like weather forecasts and start contributing to actual change.
Builders Move the Work Forward
Noticing problems is important. It tells us where attention is needed. But it isn’t the finish line. A spark is only useful if someone decides to build something with it. Solutions don’t have to be perfect. They just have to exist.
If companies reward the people who attempt to solve things (not just identify them), we can shift from a culture of commentary to a culture of progress. Less circling around the issue, more movement toward what’s next.
In the end, awareness is the beginning. Solutions are the part that actually moves us forward.
