Turd observing stinks
Ever been in a meeting where someone drops a problem like a grenade and steps back? No solution, no ownership—just boom.
Identifying problems is easy. Too easy. It doesn’t take courage to complain. It takes courage to engage with the ambiguity of creating and delivering a solution. And it’s what sets people apart in a workplace.
Andrew Henry, a seasoned CFO once told me what frustrated him most about people who worked in his team was when they were quick to point out problems but never as quick to take action to find a way to solve them.
He said, “These people were great at describing a pile of shit, pointing at it and getting others to stare at it too, but not doing the work of cleaning it up.”
I call this behavior turd observing. And it stinks.
The real issue? Many think simply raising problems is valuable. In some contexts, sure.
But when it becomes the norm, it slows innovation, makes change harder, and breeds resentment.
So, as a leader, how do you shift people from turd observing to taking initiative?
For every problem raised, ask three simple questions:
Why is this a problem?
What can we do about it?
How can you help?
A dentist friend of mine has a simple rule for his team: “You spot it, you got it.”
Problems are inevitable. But solving them quickly and effectively? That’s what drives progress.