leadership problem solving memo

Problem-solving in Leadership: How to Master the 5 Key Skills

The role of problem-solving in enhancing team morale, the right approach to problem-solving in leadership, developing problem-solving skills in leadership, leadership problem-solving examples.

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What’s the Role of Problem-solving in Leadership?

• Getting to the root of the issue:  First, Sarah starts by looking at the numbers for the past few months. She identifies the products for which sales are falling. She then attempts to correlate it with the seasonal nature of consumption or if there is any other cause hiding behind the numbers. 
• Identifying the sources of the problem:  In the next step, Sarah attempts to understand why sales are falling. Is it the entry of a new competitor in the next neighborhood, or have consumption preferences changed over time? She asks some of her present and past customers for feedback to get more ideas. 
• Putting facts on the table:  Next up, Sarah talks to her sales team to understand their issues. They could be lacking training or facing heavy workloads, impacting their productivity. Together, they come up with a few ideas to improve sales. 
• Selection and application:  Finally, Sarah and her team pick up a few ideas to work on after analyzing their costs and benefits. They ensure adequate resources, and Sarah provides support by guiding them wherever needed during the planning and execution stage. 
• Identifying the root cause of the problem.
• Brainstorming possible solutions.
• Evaluating those solutions to select the best one.
• Implementing it.

• Analytical thinking:   Analytical thinking skills refer to a leader’s abilities that help them analyze, study, and understand complex problems. It allows them to dive deeper into the issues impacting their teams and ensures that they can identify the causes accurately. 
• Critical Thinking:  Critical thinking skills ensure leaders can think beyond the obvious. They enable leaders to question assumptions, break free from biases, and analyze situations and facts for accuracy. 
• Creativity:  Problems are often not solved straightaway. Leaders need to think out of the box and traverse unconventional routes. Creativity lies at the center of this idea of thinking outside the box and creating pathways where none are apparent. 
• Decision-making:  Cool, you have three ways to go. But where to head? That’s where decision-making comes into play – fine-tuning analysis and making the choices after weighing the pros and cons well. 
• Effective Communication:  Last but not at the end lies effective communication that brings together multiple stakeholders to solve a problem. It is an essential skill to collaborate with all the parties in any issue. Leaders need communication skills to share their ideas and gain support for them.

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How to write a memo: 8 steps with examples

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What’s a memorandum?

How to write a business memo in 8 steps, when to write a memo, 5 examples of memos, unleashing the power of effective memos.

Whether you’re planning a meeting or working on a project with dozens of moving parts, effective communication is the key to success. 

But it’s hard to keep everyone in the loop all the time. You can’t always host a 1:1 meeting or talk to coworkers face-to-face when new information arises. Sometimes, all you need is a short notification that alerts everyone at the same time — and does so quickly.

Memos provide a streamlined channel for internal communication. In a short space, you can share vital information with clarity and impact. Here’s the step-by-step process of how to write a memo with specific examples, from crafting a compelling header to including action plans and timelines.

A memorandum, also known as a memo, is a concise written message that quickly and efficiently shares vital information. This could come in the form of an email, Slack announcement, or a piece of paper on a bulletin board, depending on the workplace.

A well-structured memo offers lots of information in a short space. It does everything from announcing changes in company policy to providing vital project updates, all without wasting readers’ time. Anyone can write an email, but memo-writing is a learned skill that takes time to truly perfect.

To create a succinct and comprehensive memo, formatting is key. Just like a professional email , every piece of information plays a role in making the memo easily digestible and actionable — from subject line to salutation . 

Here’s a step-by-step approach to ensure your messages are both effective and clear:

1. Start with a header

To set the stage, always start with a comprehensive header. The header should include the date and the general subject, along with who the memo is to and from. These elements offer context and ensure that readers quickly grasp the basic premise, aiding quick decision-making about the action they need to take.

2. Craft a clear objective statement

The first paragraph of your memo should directly express its purpose in an objective statement or problem statement . This not only helps the recipients understand the memo's relevance, but also ensures they grasp its intent swiftly.

Think of a cover letter . The first line is usually something like “I am writing to…” A memo should have the same clarity so readers immediately know what they’re looking at and why.

3. Provide a comprehensive body paragraph

The body of the memo is where you'll develop your main points, so it should be as comprehensive as possible despite the short space. Always start with critical details as early as possible, then move towards less significant but still pertinent information. 

To enhance readability, structure the body using bullet points or numbered lists. And remember to stay away from unnecessary jargon that may confuse your readers. A memo’s goal is brevity, so make sure it’s easy to understand.

4. Provide background information

If your memo references previous events, circumstances, or memos, include a brief background section. This provides context, orients your readers, and ties your current communication to past events or actions, offering a holistic understanding of the situation at hand.

5. Include action items and timelines

Memos often need to include a call to action that tells readers what to do next, whether that’s to acknowledge receipt or find a meeting room ASAP. Clearly define the steps they need to take, identify the parties responsible, and specify the deadlines for these tasks.

By doing so, you encourage accountability and create a shared understanding of expectations, fostering a more organized and efficient work environment .

6. Add a summary

If your memo tackles a complex issue or is particularly lengthy, add a short conclusion to summarize the most important points. In the absence of face-to-face cues, reiterating the main points through a brief summary reinforces the essential elements of your message, aiding comprehension.

7. Include your contact information

As hard as you may try, communication isn’t always clear. People might have questions about what to do next, and failing to provide a clear path toward those answers could add unnecessary hurdles. 

To avoid this, always add your contact information at the end of your memo, whether that’s your desk location or your Slack handle. This lets your colleagues reach out if they have questions or need further clarification on any points.

8. Add attachments if necessary

If you reference other documents, graphs, or materials, either attach them or provide accessible links. This ensures that your readers have all the resources at their disposal to fully understand and act upon the memo. Linking out also keeps you from adding too much information to the memo itself.

According to Gallup’s 2022 State of the Global Workplace Report, 41% of employees wish they could change their company’s engagement or culture . And communication falls into that category. Meetings, emails, and effective memos all support the interactions that uplift strong culture .

Knowing when to write a memo helps you choose the right type of communication for the situation and avoid information silos . Here are some scenarios where memos shine:

Inform about company policies or changes: If your organization is undergoing changes in policies, procedures, or strategies, a memo is an excellent way to update staff. It ensures uniform understanding and gives everyone the chance to ask questions as soon as possible, saving time and stunting the spread of misinformation.

Raise awareness about an issue: If a significant issue is impacting your organization's functioning, a memo brings it to everyone's attention. In this situation, a memo is also vital for overall engagement and the employee experience because it keeps people in the loop on important issues and reinforces the value of their contributions.

Provide updates on a project: Memos are a great tool for informing stakeholders about a project's progress, timeline adjustments, or resource requirements. Informing everyone of all the project's deadlines and ongoing developments prevents roadblocks and helps projects run smoothly.

Make a request: A memo effectively communicates formal requests, including those for resources, approvals, or feedback . By clearly articulating the reasons and potential benefits of your request, a memo acts as a persuasive tool for support or approval. It can also anticipate and address possible questions.

Recognize employee achievement: Memos are also a method for acknowledging outstanding employee performance a nd achievements like a promotion . This has the multipurpose effect of expressing recognition for hard work while emphasizing company values , boosting morale , and fostering a positive work environment.

To help you better visualize how to write a good memo, here are five memo examples for different situations:

1. Change in policy memo 

This example not only outlines changes in company policy, but also explains the reasons behind the change. It encourages questions and tells readers exactly where to go for more information, offering transparency and support.

To: [person or department name]

From: [person or department name]

Date: [insert date]

Subject: [subject] Policy Change

I'm writing to inform you of an important update regarding [policy]. Effective [date], we will be implementing changes to [specific details of the policy changes].

The purpose of this change is to [explain the rationale behind the change and its benefits]. We believe that these adjustments will contribute to [goal].

Please take the time to review the attached document outlining the updated policy in detail. Should you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out to [contact person or department].

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Best regards,

2. Project update memo

An update memo keeps everyone informed about a project's progress, any changes to the original plan, or any challenges along the way. This ongoing communication helps preempt problems and ensures everyone is working towards the same goals.

Subject: [project name] Update

Here’s an update on the progress of [project name]. Here are the key developments since our last update:

• [a summary of tasks and milestones]
• [any challenges or issues and how they were resolved]
• [any adjustments to the project timeline or scope, if applicable]

Overall, we’re making steady progress and remain on track to meet our goals. Please stay vigilant and continue to give your best effort to ensure the successful completion of this project.

If you have any questions or need further clarification, please don't hesitate to reach out to me. Let's keep up the excellent work!

3. Issue alert memo

This type of memo raises awareness about a specific issue affecting the company, a department, or a specific project. Besides highlighting the problem, it may also suggest potential steps to address it, encouraging proactive problem-solving within the organization.

Subject: [subject] Issue

I'm writing to bring your attention to an issue with [subject]. It has come to our attention that [describe the issue and its impact on the company or employees].

We understand the potential challenges that this may pose and are actively working on resolving the situation. In the meantime, we encourage everyone to [provide any necessary instructions or precautions].

Rest assured that we’re taking this matter seriously, and we will keep you updated on any progress or further instructions. If you have any insights or suggestions related to this issue, please share them with [contact person or department].

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

4. Request memo 

A request memo formalizes a need for resources, feedback, or approval. By clearly outlining the reasons behind the request, you effectively communicate the need for these items and the impact they could have on the team.

Subject: [specific request]

Hi [person or department name],

I hope this message finds you well. I'm writing to formally request [specific request]. This is because [provide a concise explanation of the request, including its importance and potential benefits for the company].

I’ve attached a detailed proposal outlining the specifics of the request, including [details, supporting data, and relevant information]. 

Should you have any questions or require further information, please don't hesitate to reach out to me. I appreciate your attention.

5. Employee recognition memo

According to data from Gallup, employees who don’t experience enough recognition are twice as likely to say they’ll quit in the next year .

A memo is a quick way to give kudos and celebrate an employee's achievement or contribution to the company. Not only does it express appreciation for hard work , but it also boosts morale and fosters a healthy environment for everyone.

Subject: Quick kudos

Let’s all take a moment to appreciate [employee name] from [department/team]’s exceptional performance and dedication. They have consistently demonstrated [specific achievements, qualities, or contributions].

Their hard work and commitment to excellence have been truly remarkable and deserving of recognition. [employee name]’s efforts reflect positively on the entire team and contribute to our overall success as a company.

Please join me in congratulating [employee name] for their outstanding achievement. We appreciate their continued dedication and professionalism. Let's celebrate this milestone and continue to inspire and support one another in our respective roles.

Warmest congratulations once again!

Mastering how to write a memo is an essential skill in the corporate world because it lets you convey a message with clarity and simplicity.

Whether you're drafting a project update or learning how to write a memo to your boss, you can become a better communicator and break down silos. Never underestimate the power of a well-structured and purposeful memo.

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Elizabeth Perry is a Coach Community Manager at BetterUp. She uses strategic engagement strategies to cultivate a learning community across a global network of Coaches through in-person and virtual experiences, technology-enabled platforms, and strategic coaching industry partnerships. With over 3 years of coaching experience and a certification in transformative leadership and life coaching from Sofia University, Elizabeth leverages transpersonal psychology expertise to help coaches and clients gain awareness of their behavioral and thought patterns, discover their purpose and passions, and elevate their potential. She is a lifelong student of psychology, personal growth, and human potential as well as an ICF-certified ACC transpersonal life and leadership Coach.

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Decision memos: how employees can inform critical business decisions.

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Nicolas is CEO of the AI inbound conversion platform Chili Piper that has thrived on a 100% remote work culture since its founding in 2016.

Good decision making is an art form that is scarce in many organizations. This is evident in a recent study from McKinsey, which indicated that only 20% of organizations “excel at decision making.” This suggests that 80% of companies falter in their decision-making capabilities. Traditionally, major decisions lie solely in the hands of an organization’s leadership, but I propose a different approach.

By democratizing decision-making through the use of “decision memos,” multiple groups of employees can help inform leaders’ choices, weigh options and offer countermeasures. Although it might seem counterintuitive or inefficient on the surface, the exact opposite is true. Decision memos have multiple advantages: They can help streamline decision making for leaders on the go and on their own time, foster transparency, reduce meeting time and eliminate presentation-heavy “meeting theater” scenarios. Because many companies today operate with hybrid or decentralized workforces, these benefits matter more to business health than ever before.

What exactly is a “decision memo,” and why is it useful?

A decision memo is a collaborative document or communication channel where employees can cooperatively solve organizational problems by channeling multiple perspectives into a shared feedback loop. As a problem-solving device, the decision memo creates a call to action from participating teams at all levels, demographics and backgrounds to create transparency and elevate employee voices to ensure various types of expertise are weighed ahead of business-critical choices.

Decision memos help ensure that voices from different geographies, cultures, genders and backgrounds are part of the process. This gives organizational leadership a holistic set of viewpoints to consider and provides a deeper understanding of a decision’s impact on a company’s workforce, especially those who work remotely. For example, researchers have found that many women find it difficult to speak up in video meetings. Decision memos, or a similar process, can level the playing field for underrepresented members of a team while weighing the pros and cons of a given decision, thanks to centralized feedback.

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After establishing the value of a collective decision-making process on business growth, it’s important to understand implementation. What does the framework of a decision memo look like? When should a company use one? How should teams go about creating one? From start to finish, here’s what teams need to know when creating a decision memo document.

• Identify and explain the problem. By asking some qualifying questions, teams can affirm that an issue exists and identify a path for remedying it. For example, how is the business operating without a given technology? What issues is the organization facing if the status quo doesn’t change? What drove the search for a solution?

• Make the business case. Take a deeper dive to identify the benefits of a major decision because resources, funds and time must be allocated to it, and leadership will likely need convincing. Stakeholders should know whether decisions about buying new tech or fixing internal problems will provide value, such as increased revenue, time savings or new growth paths.

• ID all use cases. Make sure process-based changes or a tech-purchasing solution do more than solve a single problem. Teams should ask themselves what a given choice solves, what opportunities it creates and how it fits into daily workflow. Will it disrupt daily business operations or make them better?

• Optimize your options. Cast a wide net and narrow down what’s most effective. Is a given option better or worse than others?

• Know the roles. Teams collaborating on a decision memo should ultimately know their audience. Figure out who will manage the collaboration and drive it forward. The project manager should determine who will contribute; review; and add comments, edits and recommendations to the decision memo, as well as filter out content to guide a stakeholder to an effective decision.

• Know your stakeholder. Finally, make sure everyone knows which decision maker a memo is aimed at. Once recommendations have been streamlined to inform a problem-solving approach, send it to the individual empowered to make the choice based on the collective recommendation provided.

What’s the business impact?

Within my own organization, my team has experienced the positive impact of a decision memo system in a single implementation. The process helped us save more than $70,000 while guiding a technology purchase decision that streamlined our customer-facing interactions. In this case, our process for sourcing collective intelligence to solve a problem resulted in downstream cost-cutting and optimized efficiency.

The decision memo framework allows key stakeholders to make informed choices on their own time because leadership can review memos outside of business hours or during downtime if needed. This eliminates potential bottlenecks due to limited availability to conduct real-time meetings, for example.

I’ve found memos can also create a more efficient feedback loop for problem-solving because it draws on teams’ collective expertise (either direct or from books, podcasts or research). And most importantly, decision memos lay out potential success metrics, explanations and objectives. Coupled with comprehensive record-keeping of past decisions, business leaders get a fully realized picture of the pros and cons of a given choice, thus creating the opportunity to more carefully evaluate a new tool, product strategy, direction or decision. In the long run, the added reconnaissance can ultimately give leaders back the time they spend assessing the consequences of business-critical calls.

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A policy memo is a practical, professionally written document that can vary in length from one page to over twenty-five pages. It provides analysis and recommendations directed to a predetermined audience regarding a specific situation, topic, or issue. A well-written policy memo reflects attention to the policy problem. It is well organized and structured in a clear and concise style that assumes the reader possesses limited knowledge of, as well as little time to conduct research about, the topic of concern. There is no thesis statement or overall theoretical framework underpinning the document; the focus is on describing one or more specific policy recommendations and their supporting action items.

Bhasin, Tavishi and Charity Butcher. “Teaching Effective Policy Memo Writing and Infographics in a Policy Programme.” European Political Science 21 (2022): 1-17; Davis, Jennifer. Guide to Writing Effective Policy Memos. MIT OpenCourseWare, Water and Sanitation Infrastructure Planning in Developing Countries, Spring 2004; Judge, Andrew. "Designing and Implementing Policy Writing Assessments: A Practical Guide." Teaching Public Administration 39 (2021): 351-368; Pennock, Andrew. “The Case for Using Policy Writing in Undergraduate Political Science Courses.” PS: Political Science and Politics 44 (January 2011): 141-146.

How to Approach Writing a Policy Memo

Benefits of Writing a Policy Memo

Writing a policy memo is intended to support the following learning outcomes:

• Helps students learn how to write academically rigorous, persuasive papers about a specific “real-world” issue;
• Teaches how to choose and craft a document’s content based on the needs of a particular audience [rather than for a general readership];
• Prepares students to write an effective position paper in non-academic settings;
• Promotes researching, organizing, and writing a persuasive paper that emphasizes presenting evidence-based recommendations rather than simply reporting a study's findings;
• Teaches students to be client-oriented and to better anticipate the assumptions and concerns of their targeted readership;
• Encourages reflective thinking about the cause and consequential effect of a particular recommendation and to anticipate what questions stakeholder groups may have; and,
• Enables students to create original work that synthesizes policy-making research into a clearly written document advocating change and specific courses of action.

Do not approach writing a policy memo in the same way as you would an academic research paper . Yes, there are certain commonalities in how the content is presented [e.g., a well-written problem statement], but the overarching objective of a policy memo is not to discover or create new knowledge. It is focused on providing to a predetermined group of readers the rationale for choosing a particular policy alternative and/or specific courses of action leading to positive social and political change within society. In this sense, most policy memos possess a component of advocacy and advice intended to promote evidence-based dialog about an issue.

Essential Elements of an Effective Policy Memo Focus and Objectives The overall content of your memo should be strategically aimed at achieving the following goal: convincing your target audience about the accuracy of your analysis and, by extension, that your policy recommendations are valid. Avoid lengthy digressions and superfluous narration that can distract the reader from understanding the policy problem. Note that your target audience is defined in two ways: by the decision-makers who can advocate for or implement change and by individuals and groups most likely impacted by your policy recommendations should they be implemented. Professionally Written Always keep in mind that a policy memorandum is a tool for decision-making. Keep it professional and avoid hyperbole and clever or indeterminate language that could undermine the credibility of your document. The presentation and content of the memo should be polished, easy to understand, and free of jargon. Writing professionally does not imply that you can’t be passionate about your topic, but your policy recommendations should be evidence-based and grounded in solid reasoning and a succinct writing style. Evidence-based A policy memo is not an argumentative debate paper. The reader should expect your recommendations to be based upon evidence that the problem exists and understand the consequences [both good and bad] of adopting particular policy alternatives. To address this, policy memos should include a clear cost-benefit analysis that considers anticipated outcomes, the potential impact on stakeholder groups you have identified, clear and quantifiable performance goals, and how success will be measured. Accessibility A policy memo requires clear and simple language that avoids unnecessary jargon and concepts of an academic discipline. Do not skip around. Use one paragraph to develop one idea or argument and make that idea or argument explicit within the first one or two sentences. Your memo should have a straightforward, explicit organizational structure that provides well-explained arguments arranged within a logical sequence of reasoning [think in terms of an if/then logic model--if this policy recommendation, then this action; if this benefit, then this potential cost; if this group is allocated resources, then this group may be excluded]. Presentation Style The visual impact of your memo affects the reader’s ability to grasp your ideas quickly and easily. Include a table of contents and list of figures and charts, if necessary. Subdivide the text using clear and descriptive headings to guide the reader. Incorporate devices such as capitalization, bold text, and bulleted items, but be consistent, and don’t go crazy; the purpose is to facilitate access to specific sections of the paper for successive readings. If it is difficult to find information in your document, policy makers will not use it. Practical and Feasible Your memorandum should provide a set of actions based on what is actually happening in reality. Do not base your policy recommendations on future scenarios or hypothetical situations that could be interpreted as unlikely to occur or that do not appear possible because you have not adequately explained the circumstances supporting these scenarios. Here again, your cost-benefit analysis can be essential to validating the practicality and feasibility of your recommendations. Explicit Transparency Provide specific criteria to assess either the success or failure of the policies you are recommending. As much as possible, this criteria should be derived from your cost/benefit analysis or framed as a SWOT [Strengths-weaknesses, opportunities-threats]. Do not hide or under-report information that does not support your policy recommendations. Just as you would note the limitations of your study in a research paper, a policy memo should describe issues of weakness of your analysis. Explain why they may arise and why your recommendations are still valid despite these issues. Be open and straightforward because doing so strengthens your arguments and it will help the reader assess the overall impact of recommended policy changes.

NOTE: Technically, it would not be wrong for your policy memo to argue for maintaining the status quo. However, the general objective of a policy memo assignment is to critically examine opportunities for transformative change and to highlight the risks of on-going complacency. If you choose to argue for maintaining the current policy trajectory, in whole or in part, be concise in identifying and systematically refuting all relevant policy options. Again, it must be rooted in an evidence-based cost/benefit analysis. Whether maintaining current policies is short-term or long-term [and these need to be clearly defined], you must explain concisely why each possible outcome of maintaining the status quo would be preferable to any alternative policy options and recommended courses of action. If your argument for maintaining the status quo is short-term, explain what factors in the future could trigger a policy-related course correction.

Herman, Luciana. Policy Memos. John F. Kennedy School of Government. Harvard University; How to Write a Public Policy Memo. Student Learning Center. University of California, Berkeley; Policy Memo. Thompson Writing Program, Writing Studio. Duke University; Policy Memo Guidelines. Cornell Fellows Program. Cornell University; Memo: Audience and Purpose. The Writing Lab and The OWL. Purdue University; Policy Memo Requirements and Guidelines, 2012-2013 edition. Institute for Public Policy Studies. University of Denver; Thrall, A. Trevor. How to Write a Policy Memo. University of Michigan--Dearborn, 2006; Mastro, Oriana Skylar. "Teach What you Preach: A Comprehensive Guide to the Policy Memo as a Methods Teaching Tool." Journal of Political Science Education 17 (2021): 326-340; Writing Effective Memos. Electronic Hallway. Daniel J. Evans School of Public Affairs. University of Washington; Writing Effective Policy Memos. Water & Sanitation Infrastructure Planning syllabus. Spring 2004. Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Structure and Writing Style

The contents of a policy memo can be organized in a variety of ways. Below is a general template adapted from the “Policy Memo Requirements and Guidelines, 2012-2013 edition” published by the Institute for Public Policy Studies at the University of Denver and from suggestions made in the book, A Practical Guide for Policy Analysis: The Eightfold Path to More Effective Problem-Solving [Eugene Bardach. 4th edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2012] . Both sources provide useful approaches to writing a policy memo in the event your professor does not provide specific guidance. Overall, the tone of your writing should be formal but assertive. Note that the most important consideration in terms of writing style is professionalism, not creativity. I.  Cover Page Provide a complete and informative cover page that includes the document title, date, the full names and titles of the writer or writers [i.e., Joe Smith, Student, Department of Political Science, University of Southern California]. The title of the policy memo should be formally written and specific to the policy issue [e.g., “Charter Schools, Fair Housing, and Legal Standards: A Call for Equal Treatment”]. For longer memos, consider including a brief executive summary that highlights key findings and recommendations.

II.  Introduction and Problem Definition A policy memorandum should begin with a short summary introduction that defines the policy problem, provides important contextual background information, and explains what issues are being covered. This is followed by a short justification for writing the memo, why a decision needs to be made [answering the “So What?” question], and an outline of the recommendations you make or key themes the reader should keep in mind. Summarize your main points in a few sentences, then conclude with a description of how the remainder of the memo is organized.

III.  Methods This is usually where other research about the problem or issue of concern is summarized. Describe how you plan to identify and locate the information on which your policy memo is based. This may include peer-reviewed journals and books as well as possible professionals you interviewed, databases and websites you explored, or legislative histories or relevant case law that you used. Remember this is not intended to be a thorough literature review; only choose sources that persuasively support your position or that help lay a foundation for understanding why actions need to be taken.

IV.  Issue Analysis This section is where you explain in detail how you examined the issue and, by so doing, persuade the reader of the appropriateness of your analysis. This is followed by a description of how your analysis contributes to the current policy debate. It is important to demonstrate that the policy issue may be more complex than a basic pro versus con debate. Very few public policy debates can be reduced to this type of rhetorical dichotomy. Be sure your analysis is thorough and takes into account all factors that may influence possible strategies that could advance a recommended set of solutions.

V.  Proposed Solutions Write a brief review of the specific solutions you evaluated, noting the criteria by which you examined and compared different proposed policy alternatives. Identify the stakeholders impacted by the proposed solutions and describe in what ways they will benefit from your proposed solution. Focus on identifying solutions that have not been proposed or tested elsewhere. Offer a contrarian viewpoint that challenges the reader to take into account a new perspective on the research problem. Note that you can propose solutions that may be considered radical or unorthodox, but they must be realistic and politically feasible.

VI.  Strategic Recommendations Solutions are just opinions until you provide a path that delineates how to get from where you are to where you want to go. Describe what you believe are the best recommended courses of action [i.e., "action items"]. In writing this section, state the broad approach to be taken, with specific, practical steps or measures that should be implemented. Be sure to also state by whom and within what time frame these actions should be taken. Conclude by highlighting the consequences of maintaining the status quo [or if supporting the status quo, why change at this time would be detrimental]. Also, clearly explain why your strategic recommendations are best suited for addressing the current policy situation.

VI.  Limitations As in any academic paper, you must describe limitations to your analysis. In particular, ask yourself if each of your recommendations are realistic, feasible, and sustainable, and in particular, that they can be implemented within the current bureaucratic, economic, political, cultural, social, or other type of contextual climate in which they reside. If not, you should go back and clarify your recommendations and provide further evidence as to why the recommendation is most appropriate for addressing the issue. It does not necessarily undermine the overall recommendations of your study if the limitation cannot be overcome, but you must clearly acknowledge this. Place the limitation within the context of a critical issue that needs further study in concurrence with possible implementation [i.e., findings indicate service learning promotes civic engagement, but there is a lack of data on the types of service learning programs that exist among high schools in South Central Los Angeles].

VII.  Cost-Benefit Analysis This section may be optional but, in some cases, your professor may ask you to include an explicit summary analysis of the costs and benefits of each recommendation. If you are asked to include a separate cost-benefit analysis, be concise and brief. Since most policy memos do not have a formal conclusion, the cost-benefit analysis can act as your conclusion by summarizing the key differences among policy alternatives and recommended courses of action.

NOTE:   A feature found in many policy memos is the inclusion of text boxes or sidebars that are separate from the main body of text. A text box contains a useful checklist, case study, summary, example, quotation, definition, or expansion of an idea that is located close to the text it supports. A sidebar is a type of exclamation located beside or within the main content that brings further attention to a key point or is used to encourage the reader to pay particular attention to that section of the memo. A sidebar often contains a quotation or brief statement lifted from the main text. Both features are appropriate to use in your policy memo, but don't overdo it. Limit the use of a text box or sidebar to only the most essential text that expands or adds value to understanding content in a specific section of the policy memo, in particular, in the issue analysis section or when describing your strategic recommendations.

Bardach, Eugene. A Practical Guide for Policy Analysis: The Eightfold Path to More Effective Problem-Solving . 4th edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2012; Herman, Luciana. Policy Memos. John F. Kennedy School of Government. Harvard University; How to Write a Public Policy Memo. Student Learning Center. University of California, Berkeley; Policy Memo Guidelines. Cornell Fellows Program. Cornell University; Memo: Audience and Purpose. The Writing Lab and The OWL. Purdue University; Pennock, Andrew. “The Case for Using Policy Writing in Undergraduate Political Science Courses.” PS: Political Science and Politics 44 (January 2011): 141-146; Policy Memo Requirements and Guidelines, 2012-2013 edition. Institute for Public Policy Studies. University of Denver; Text Boxes and Callouts. Australian Government Style Manual; Thrall, A. Trevor. How to Write a Policy Memo. University of Michigan--Dearborn, 2006; Sajedinejad, S., et al. From Research to Impact: A Toolkit for Developing Effective Policy Briefs . Toronto, Ontario: Policy Bench, Fraser Mustard Institute of Human Development, University of Toronto, 2021; What Are Policy Briefs. FAO Corporate Document Repository. United Nations; Writing Effective Memos. Electronic Hallway. Daniel J. Evans School of Public Affairs. University of Washington; Writing Effective Policy Memos. Water & Sanitation Infrastructure Planning syllabus. Spring 2004. Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Proofreading the Memo

Problems to Avoid

The style and arrangement of an effectively written memo can differ because no two policies, nor their intended audience of readers, are exactly the same. Nevertheless, before you submit your policy memo, be sure you proofread the document so that you avoid these common problems. If you identify one or more of these problems, you should rewrite or re-organize the content accordingly.

1.  Acknowledge the Law of Unintended Consequences . No policy analysis is complete until you have identified for whom the policy actions are supposed to benefit and identify what groups may be impacted by the consequences of their implementation. Review your memo and make sure you have clearly delineated who could be helped and who could be potentially harmed or excluded from benefiting from your recommended policy actions. As noted by Wilcoxen, this is also important because describing who may or may not benefit can help you anticipate which stakeholder groups will support your policy recommendations and which groups will likely oppose it. Calculating potential "winners" and "losers" will help reveal how much it may cost to compensate those groups excluded from benefiting. By building this compensation into your policy recommendations, you are better able to show the reader how to reduce political obstacles.

2.  Anticipate the Reader's Questions . Examine your recommended courses of action and identify any open-ended, declarative, indeterminate, or ambiguous statements that could lead the reader to have to ask further questions. For example, you declare that the most important factor supporting school choice among parents is distance from home. Without clarification or additional information, this could lead the reader to ask numerous questions, such as, why or by what means do you know this, what distance is considered to be too far, what factors contribute to parent's decision about school choice and distance from schools, or what age group does this most apply to. Clarify these types of open-ended statements so that your policy recommendations can be more fully understood and accepted as valid.

3.  Be Concise . Being succinct in your writing does not relate to the overall length of the policy memo or the amount of words you use. It relates to your ability to provide a lot of information clearly and without superfluous detail. Strategies include r eviewing long paragraphs and breaking them up into parts, looking for long sentences and eliminating unnecessary qualifiers and modifiers, and deleting prepositional phrases in favor of adjectives or adverbs. The overarching goal is to be thorough and precise in how your ideas are presented and to avoid writing that uses too many words or excessively technical expressions.

4.  Focus on the Results . While it is important that your memo describe the methods by which you gathered and analyzed the data informing your policy recommendations, the content should focus on explaining the results of your analysis and the logic underpinning your recommendations. Remember your audience. The reader is presumably a decision-maker with limited knowledge of the issue and who has little time to contemplate the methods of analysis. The validity of your findings will be determined primarily by your reader's determination that your policy recommendations and supporting action items are realistic and rooted in sound reasoning. Review your memo and make sure the statement about how you gathered the data is brief and concise. If necessary, technical issues or raw data can be included in an appendix.

5.  Minimize Subjective Reasoning . Although the memo should be persuasive, avoid emphasizing your personal opinion about the topic. A policy memo should be written in a professional tone with recommendations based upon empirical reasoning while, at the same time, reflecting a level of passion about your topic. However, being passionate does not imply being opinionated. The memo should emphasize presenting all of the facts a reader would need to reach their own conclusions about the validity of your recommendations.

6.  Use of Non-textual Elements . It is common for policy memos to include data, statistics, and other types of information that require visualization. Review all tables, charts, figures, graphs, photographs, and other non-textual elements and make sure they are labeled correctly. Examine each in relation to the text, making sure they are described adequately and that they relate to the overall content of your memo. If these elements are located in appendices, make sure descriptive references to them within the text are correct [i.e., reference to Figure 2 is actually the table you want the reader to look at].

Bardach, Eugene and Eric M. Pataschnik. A Practical Guide for Policy Analysis: The Eightfold Path to More Effective Problem-Solving . 5th edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2016; Herman, Luciana. Policy Memos. John F. Kennedy School of Government. Harvard University; How to Write a Public Policy Memo. Student Learning Center. University of California, Berkeley; Memo: Audience and Purpose. The Writing Lab and The OWL. Purdue University; Policy Memo Requirements and Guidelines, 2012-2013 edition. Institute for Public Policy Studies. University of Denver; Wilcoxen, Peter J. Tips on Writing a Policy Memo. PAI 723, Economics for Public Decisions Course Syllabus. Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syracuse University.

Writing Tip

Difference Between a Policy Memo and a Policy Brief

A policy memo and a policy brief share much in common. They both describe the rationale for choosing particular policy alternatives or courses of action, they both contain persuasive language, and both documents are written for non-experts, such as, practitioners, politicians, non-governmental agency workers, lobbyists, and others who work on or regularly make decisions about the issue addressed in the document. Both documents are free of jargon or technical terminology and focus on communicating the practical implications of prior policy research to a specific audience based on available evidence.

Ironically, however, a policy memo is typically shorter in length than a policy “brief.” A policy memo usually ranges from one to twenty-five pages, while a policy brief can be anywhere from twenty to more than a hundred pages in length depending on the complexity of the topic. Therefore:

• A policy brief is commonly produced in response to a request from a decision-maker concerning an issue that requires more thorough information to address the underlying policy problem or they are produced by an advocacy group or organization for the purpose of influencing a specific policy, often in an urgent tone. Non-textual elements , such as, figures, charts, graphs, or diagrams, are often included.
• A policy memo is concisely written and presents information, ideas, and recommendations clearly so the reader can quickly scan the document for the most relevant points. Policy memos focus on brevity and often synthesize existing evidence in language that is direct, specific, and with minimal background information or historical context. Non-textual elements are only included if necessary.

Guide to Writing an Effective Policy Memo. Leadership for Educational Equity, New York; Policy Briefs. The Writing Center, University of North Carolina;  Policy Memo. Writing Studio, Duke University; Manny, Karoline. What is a Policy Brief/Memo? Grace Doherty Library, Centra College; Sajedinejad, S., et al. From Research to Impact: A Toolkit for Developing Effective Policy Briefs . Toronto, Ontario: Policy Bench. Fraser Mustard Institute of Human Development, University of Toronto, 2021.

Another Writing Tip

Citing Sources

Policy memos generally do not include extensive footnotes, endnotes, further readings, or a bibliography. However, if you use supporting information in a memo, cite the source in the text. For example, you may refer to a study that supported a specific assertion by referencing it in the following manner: "A study published in 2012 by the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling showed that public opinion towards China was....” However, some assignments may require a formal list of references. Before writing your memo, be sure you are clear about how your professor wants you to cite any sources referred to in your analysis.

Policy Memo. Thompson Writing Program, Writing Studio. Duke University.

Yet Another Writing Tip

Using Non-Textual Elements

Policy memos are not just text-based but frequently include numeric tables and charts or other non-textual elements, such as photographs, maps, and illustrations. However, it is important that you use non-textual elements judiciously and only in relation to supplementing and clarifying arguments made in the text so as not to distract the reader from the main points of your memo . As with any non-textual elements, describe what the reader is seeing and why the data is important to understanding the policy problem.

Still Yet Another Writing Tip

Including Appendices

The purpose of an appendix is to provide supplementary material that is not an essential part of the main text but which may be helpful in providing the reader with more complete information. If you have information that is vital to understanding an issue discussed in the memo, it can be included in one or more appendices. However, if you have a lot of information, don't write a five page memo and include twenty pages of appendices. Memos are intended to be  succinct and clearly expressed. If there is a lot of data, refer to the source and summarize it, or discuss with your professor how it should be included.

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• How to write a memo for effective commu ...

How to write a memo for effective communication (with template)

A memo is a document or message sent to an entire team, department, or organization to inform teams about what is happening in the company. Memos are great for notifying employees about new policies or best practices, requesting project feedback , summarizing action plans, and more. Learn how to create an effective memo and when to use one.

Effective communication is super important. But you also want to make sure it's easy to digest. Having a templatized way to do that can not only make it easier to create communication—but also for your employees to digest it.

Our guide covers what a memo is, when to send one, how to create the format, and tips for writing a memo effectively. Then, use our free memo template to give you a roadmap to success.

What is a memo?

A memo, also known as a memorandum, communicates information throughout an organization. Unlike a one-on-one message, memos usually have a larger audience.

This letter is usually sent to an entire team , department, or organization to inform employees about things happening in the company. A memo can be about any important topic with wide-scale relevance, from a policy change to new clients to budget cuts.

This type of communication can be created and sent electronically or printed as a physical handout. Even if you know everyone in your chain of communication, keeping these documents polite and professional is important. When in doubt, omit the emojis, texting language, and abbreviations to make your message come across more professional.

Reasons to send a memo

There are many reasons someone would send out a memo instead of a regular email. While an email is a casual form of communication, a memo is more official and becomes part of the company record. 

Employees take memos more seriously. As a result, memos tend to be much more effective with cross-organizational communication. We’ve outlined some of the most common reasons below.

A memo can:

Explain policy changes

Announce upcoming meeting agendas or events

Announce budget cuts

Summarize action plans

Describe the onboarding of new clients

Detail minutes from a meeting

Request recommendations or feedback

Notify employees of a company problem or solution

Sending an electronic memo to groups of employees is beneficial because it gives them a centralized location to view company details. Everyone receives the same information at the same time instead of hearing it through the grapevine.

How to format a memo

There are several ways to structure a memo, but most memos have the same formatting elements. Feel free to customize your memo template to match the tone and content of the message you want to send.

First things first: get off on the right foot by starting your memorandum with a great subject line. The best memo subject lines should be as specific as possible.

For example, instead of labeling your memo letter as “Company Event,” make the subject line “Annual Holiday Party: Date and Details.”

A clear subject line lets people know exactly what your memo describes before opening it. It also makes finding the memo easier because that means employees won’t have multiple memos with the same subject line in their inbox.

There are several key factors you should include in your memo heading. Always have the date, who you’re sending it to, and who the memo is from. This information will provide context about the message’s contents. 

Body message

The body of the memo captures the main purpose of the message. Use the opening paragraph to state precisely what the rest of the document will be about. Keep the beginning section short to get your message across most effectively. 

Paragraph 1 : Use statements such as “I am writing to inform you” and “I am requesting information on” at the beginning of this paragraph. This first paragraph should include the most important information in the memo. 

Paragraph 2 : The second paragraph will give you a chance to provide additional details and dive more into the topic.

Paragraph 3 : Your third paragraph is where you give your request. An example of this would be asking a department for feedback on a project , or to RSVP to a company event by a certain date.  

Some memos don’t have an ask associated with the information you present. If this is the case, then you can use that space as an opportunity to thank your colleagues for their time.

Before sending a memo to your coworkers, check your mass communication policy at your company. Some companies will require additional steps, such as adding your organization’s logo, company name, or having standardized font sizes. You might also need to get approval or permission before sending it out.

Tips for writing a memo

Now that you know what to include in your memo, it’s time to hone in on the correct tone and formatting. Below are some tips to keep in mind when writing an effective business memo.

Keep a professional tone : Always keep your tone professional, but feel free to tailor it to your audience and objective.

Avoid acronyms and abbreviations : Spell out acronyms and abbreviations so all recipients can understand your message.

Keep your memo to one page : Try to fit your copy into three paragraphs to briefly get your point across.

Use attachments when necessary : Feel free to add attachments or flyers to give additional context to your memo if needed.

Think about your target audience : Change the message of your email depending on who you’re writing to.

Keep formatting consistent : Maintain the same font, paragraph structure, punctuation, and grammar throughout the piece.

Stay clear and concise : Make your request or announcement at the beginning of the memo document.

Remain objective : Stick to the facts and refrain from personal bias when writing a business document.

By following these tips and knowing what to include, you can create a professional and concise memo time and time again.

Types of memos

There are three memo styles: suggestive, confirmation, and request. The general format and business writing style remain similar among the three types of memos. The difference lies in looking at your audience, tone, and object. 

Suggestive memo

Sending a suggestive memo is a great way to find solutions to company problems. They often encourage creative thinking , brainstorms , and group discussions. 

When you’re sending a suggestive memo, it’s best to use positive and encouraging language. This language will help to get your coworkers excited to find out-of-the-box ideas.

Example: Send a suggestive memo if you’re an advertising agency looking for a group discussion on new ideas for a brand campaign.

Confirmation memo

Use confirmation memos to confirm verbal agreements by putting them in writing. Make sure to highlight the important aspects of the agreement between the parties, so everyone has a clear understanding of the objectives.

End the memo document by asking the other party if they need additional clarification or need to change any details. This will help avoid any mix-ups or misunderstandings once the project begins.

Example : If you are a team lead of a marketing team, you may send a confirmation memo to your company’s DevOps team while collaborating on a project. It would cover the project deliverables , make sure all stakeholders understand the project scope , and ensure no one has any questions.

Request memo

A request memo is a document or email you can send your company when you have a request. Start this type of memo by justifying why you need a request completed.

Keep your tone professional and persuasive when you give your recommendations for how to solve the problem. While this type of language is always recommended in memos, it’s especially important in request memos.

Example: You would send a request memo if you are a human resources manager and are requesting employees to fill out their insurance information before a deadline.

Memo template

Use our memo template to organize your document and create a successful message each time. When you send out your memorandum, make sure to effectively fill out your subject line, header, and body message.

Project management tools and memos will help you streamline communication

Using a memo template will help you communicate with everybody in your company. Combining it with a project management tool can help you keep all of your memos in one place and allows you to easily send memos to lots of stakeholders and team members. You can even connect memos directly to action items to bring these to-dos and messages to life.

Related resources

6 ways to develop adaptability in the workplace and embrace change

4 ways to establish roles and responsibilities for team success

9 tips for taking better meeting notes

What is project management and its benefits?

How do I Write a Memo About Solving a Problem?

by Melvin Richardson

Published on 26 Sep 2017

Many organizations have problems, and to write a memo about solving a problem you should follow specific steps. . Before you can write a memo you need all the information pertaining to the problem as well as the individuals involved. Sometimes solving a problem is a matter of improving communication.

Determine or define the problem is. Your memo should start with a problem statement. This is a quick summary of what the problem is. Make sure you put this information in the simplest terms possible so everyone involved will understand the problem.

Find out possible causes of the problem. Your action plan can be geared towards eliminating the causes.

Write out who and what is affected by the problem. List all people and departments affected and explain how. For example, an inadequate computer system will affect the customer service department because it will not be able to take calls as quickly. This can reduce the profitability of a company because poor customer service can cause a loss of market share.

Make a list of the possible solutions to the problem. One solution could be a complete upgrade to the computer system. Another possible solution is to hire more customer service representatives to handle the excess of calls due to a poor system. Write down as many solutions to the problem as you can come up with.

Recommend the best possible solution. Explain why the method you chose is the best. Determine who will help implement it. Your recommendation should include the costs that will be incurred. Make sure the solution has a starting time and ending time. Outline the individuals or departments that will participate in the solution.

Jepson Internship 2024

Blog 5: Solving Problems/Improving Leadership

From observing my supervisors at VOICES, I have noticed ways in which effectiveness could be improved. With such a small staff, it would be beneficial to reduce the number of collaborative assignments. The staff frequently meets to review presentations multiple times and discuss projects that could be done at a much quicker pace individually. There is a lot of repetition when reviewing projects and presentations, which I appreciate because they want things to be completed at a high standard, but sometimes it feels like overkill. 

Another problem is the interns need to be utilized more efficiently. Being part of the younger generation, we can complete tasks much faster than the professional staff. We are more comfortable with technology, and since there are four of us, we can collaborate and get projects done rapidly. Unfortunately, due to a lack of planning and preparation for us, we are often left taskless. Either we get things done quicker than the staff anticipated or are not given assignments. We are incredibly useful, but our capabilities are sometimes ignored. I have felt significant improvement in this issue and am much happier with the workload I have received this past week. I am excited for the rest of the summer; it was just a slow start. 

The office environment is positive, but work productivity could be improved with simple organization and communication adjustments. Unless I am unaware of something, the staff frequently begins projects and starts tasks but then sets them aside to start another. If projects were started and completed before moving on to the next, I imagine things would operate slightly more smoothly as many of the intern tasks are trying to pick up on halfway completed tasks (or tasks that interns years prior had started). This was a rather critical blog, but the prompt was to discuss areas for improvement, and no organization, no matter how much good work they do or how hard they try, is completely perfect. 

By the end of the summer, my goal is to become more comfortable expressing any issues I may have, primarily involving my workload. I and the other interns wasted a lot of time sitting and waiting for assignments rather than being proactive and asking to be involved in meetings or for more assignments. I recognize the importance of being proactive and speaking in a workplace, which, although not solving problems for others, is solving a problem I was facing. 

• Reflection 3: Situational Leadership at SCDAO

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CITRW > Chapter 13: Leadership, Roles, and Problem Solving in Groups > Flashcards

Chapter 13: Leadership, Roles, and Problem Solving in Groups Flashcards

contribute directly to the group’s completion of a a task or achievement of its goal or purpose

the “idea person” who communicates “big picture” thoughts and suggestions that feed group discussion

Substantive leader

the person who gives the most guidance, perhaps sfollowing up on the ideas generated by the substantive leader

Procedural leader

a task-related role that functions to keep the group on track toward completing its task by managing the agenda and setting and assessing goals in order to monitor the group’s progress

this role includes behaviors that are more evenly shared compared to other roles, as ideally, all group members present new ideas, initiate discussions of new topics, and contribute their own relevant knowledge and experiences

Information provider

the person who has this task-related role asks for more information, elaboration, or clarification on items relevant to the group’s task

Information seeker

this person manages the flow of conversation in a group in order to achieve an appropriate balance so that all group members get to participate in a meaningful way

the person who takes notes on the discussion and activities that occur during a group meeting. This role is the only role that is limited to one person at a time

function to create and maintain social cohesion and fulfill the interpersonal needs of group members

Maintenance roles

may perform a variety of maintenance roles and is generally someone who is well liked by the other group members and whose role behaviors complement but do not compete with the task leader

Social-emotional leader

a maintenance role that is characterized by communication behaviors that encourage other group members and provide emotional support as needed

someone who is naturally funny and sensitive to the personalities of the group and the dynamics of any given situation and who uses these qualities to manage the frustration level of the group

Tension releaser

group members who help manage the various types of group conflict that emerge during group communication, they keep their eyes and ears open for signs of conflict among group members and ideally intervene before it escalates

this person helps manage the diversity within a group by mediating intercultural conflict, articulating common ground between different people, and generally creating a climate where difference is seen as an opportunity rather than as something to be feared

Interpreter

argues against most of the ideas and proposals discussed in the group

Central negative

a group member who makes excessive verbal contributions preventing equal participation by other group members. Can include the “egghead” and the “stage hog.”

Monopolizer

monopolizes discussion with excessive verbal contributions and engages in one-upping and narcissistic listening

monopolizes the discussion with excessive contributions based in actual knowledge

involves thoughts, discussions, actions, and decisions that occur from the first consideration of a problematic situation to the goal

Problem-solving process

Problem statement

a question that will guide the group as it generates possible solutions

Problem question

guides decision making through a four-step process that includes idea generation and evaluation and seeks to elicit equal contributions from all group members

Nominal group technique

a commonly used decision-making technique in which a majority (one-half plus one) must agree before making a decision

Majority rule

A decision making technique in which a designated authority or expert has final say over a decision and may or may not consider the input of other group members

Minority rule

a decision-making technique in which all members of the group must agree on the same decision

Consensus rule

CITRW (11 decks)

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• Chapter 13: Leadership, Roles, and Problem Solving in Groups
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Proposal for Software Improvement to Drive Sales at Bright

Breadcrumbs

Leadership lessons for multidisciplinary teams in healthcare and beyond.

Harnessing the power of a multidisciplinary team carries vast potential for effectiveness and problem-solving—while achieving high-performance with diversely skilled stakeholders requires adroit management

The Center for Innovative Leadership (CIL)  exists to support and accelerate the production of new research on leadership in today’s dynamic, complex organizations and bring research to life through engaging student experiences and powerful industry partnerships.

Summary: In healthcare it is common practice for multidisciplinary teams to be involved in efforts to improve the quality and safety of patient care. The perioperative period, which encompasses the time before, during, and after a surgical operation, is a prime target  for multidisciplinary improvement efforts because of the diversity of professional roles and care delivery settings involved. . Failure to achieve improvement targets in this context is often attributed to lack of resources or resistance to change. 

A recent study counters this view, suggesting failure is more likely to be due to the way the multidisciplinary improvement team is led and how well it collaborates. Successful improvement projects depend on effective leadership—from designing the team, communicating a shared vision, planning the project, through to creating a collaborative approach to getting work done, and a structured training and feedback process.

A new study distils existing literature and gathers expert opinions on leadership and high-performing teams to offer practical guidance on those factors and behaviors relevant to the delivery of perioperative improvement projects, but also to leading multidisciplinary teams outside of healthcare.

High-performing healthcare services continually seek to improve patient experience and outcomes. One key area of focus for improved performance has been the perioperative period—the time leading up to, during, and after surgery. Unfortunately, perioperative improvement teams often fail to achieve their goals and when this happens the blame is often ascribed to resistance to change or lack of resources.

A recent study highlights that another important – yet overlooked – reason why t improvement projects fail is because of  the way multidisciplinary improvement teams are designed, how they are led, and how the multidisciplinary teamwork is managed.  The study, from Christina Yuan and Michael Rosen, Faculty Affiliates at the Center for Innovative Leadership at Johns Hopkins Carey Business School, in collaboration with Tasnuva Liu, Benjamin Eidman, Della M. Lin, and Elizabeth Wick, contends that taking time to pre-plan and continually reflect on how team leadership behaviors are enacted is the best way to ensure team success—yet this is often overlooked. 

The researchers surveyed a range of thought leaders and team leaders with deep-rooted experience in perioperative work to discover the leadership behaviors and practices considered to be most relevant to planning and implementing perioperative improvement initiatives. 

Based on their findings the researchers recommend the following six key areas leaders should consider when designing and leading teams to deliver perioperative improvement projects—recommendations that carry implications for the management of multidisciplinary and cross-functional teams in a wider context too:

Design and Define

It is important to clearly define the aims of the mission, and to choose a team that includes all stakeholders and the right mix of skills and roles—allowing flexibility and ensuring that roles are not too rigidly defined. It is also wise to include those who are skeptical about improvements, as well as those who are more receptive, so as to understand the scope of the challenge ahead and ideally to bring skeptics on board. 

Leaders should create an environment where collaboration is prioritized and fine-tuned. Through discussion, establish effective processes for getting work done and delegating tasks. With agreement leaders should identify challenging but realistic goals for the team. They should monitor and report on progress and help the team recover from any small set-backs.

An environment of psychological safety should be created, where team members feel they have a voice and their opinions are acknowledged. Leaders should communicate regularly to everyone to show how the project is progressing and to build a collective understanding of what is being achieved and what more might be done. This should be framed as a positive way to learn from successes and failures as opposed to seeking compliance.

Train and Feedback

Listening, asking good questions, and soliciting feedback are essential leadership behaviors. In a multidisciplinary team it is important everyone participates and is heard, including less vocal team members. This interaction can be the basis for providing skills training and promoting continuous learning—appreciating that failures can be opportunities for learning.

Manage Team Boundaries

It is a leader’s role to clarify the boundaries between the core project team and other groups and departments, as well as to be a liaison with these entities. It is vital to obtain senior leadership buy-in at the outset of the project and to maintain this throughout with regular reporting on progress, successes, and any potential barriers. Messages should be brief and individualized to address each senior leader’s particular concerns. 

Manage Organizational Context

Aligning the team’s efforts with organizational needs is key. Here an important factor is for senior leaders to ensure access to data the team needs to make decisions and do their work. Removing barriers to data sources and providing the team with opportunities to ask senior leaders questions and get information as needed is also the leader’s responsibility. In a busy healthcare setting, where the delivery of a perioperative improvement project will be one of many priorities for the members of the assigned multidisciplinary team, above all team leadership must be clear and precise. It must ensure all members of the team understand their roles, feel free to participate fully, and are empowered to achieve to the best of their abilities. There are innumerable management theories and practices that might be suggested to accomplish this. The value of Yuan and Rosen’s study is that it helps to distil the essence of what is really required for effective team leadership in this context.

The Center for Innovative Leadership  (CIL) at the Carey Business School aims to advance knowledge and build capacity for innovative leadership in modern organizations. CIL is a hub for new ideas and insights on leadership, combining faculty-led research, student-facing programming, and community-focused impact.

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How to Solve Your Company’s Toughest Problems

A conversation with Harvard Business School professor Frances Frei on how to solve any problem in five clear steps.

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You’ve likely heard the phrase, “Move fast and break things.” But Harvard Business School professor Frances Frei says speed and experimentation are not enough on their own. Instead, she argues that you should move fast and fix things. (That’s also the topic and title of the book she coauthored with Anne Morriss .)

In this episode, Frei explains how you can solve any problem in five clear steps. First, she says, start by identifying the real problem holding you back. Then move on to building trust and relationships, followed by a narrative for your solution — before you begin implementing it.

Key episode topics include: leadership, strategy execution, managing people, collaboration and teams, trustworthiness, organizational culture.

HBR On Leadership curates the best case studies and conversations with the world’s top business and management experts, to help you unlock the best in those around you. New episodes every week.

• Learn more about HBR’s “ Future of Business” virtual conference (November 2023)
• Find more Harvard Business Review live events
• Discover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org

HANNAH BATES: Welcome to HBR on Leadership , case studies and conversations with the world’s top business and management experts, hand-selected to help you unlock the best in those around you.

Maybe you’ve heard the phrase, “move fast and break things.” It refers to a certain approach for rapid innovation that was popularized in Silicon Valley and invoked by many tech firms. But Harvard Business School professor Frances Frei says that speed and experimentation are not enough on their own. Instead, Frei argues that you should “move fast and fix things.” That’s the topic and title of the book she co-authored with Anne Morriss.

In this episode, Harvard Business Review’s editorial audience director Nicole Smith sits down with Frei to discuss how you can solve any problem in five quick steps. You’ll learn how to start by uncovering your true problem. Then, move on to build trust, relationships, and a narrative for your solution before you dive in on the actual work of implementing your fix.

This conversation was originally part of HBR’s “Future of Business” virtual conference in November 2023. Here it is.

FRANCES FREI: So, I would love to talk to you about how to move fast and fix things. And I’ll tell you the reason that Anne and I wrote this book – and it’s really a quest we’ve been on – is that Mark Zuckerberg, in his IPO for Facebook, famously said, “we’re going to move fast and break things.” And the problem with that is that it gave the world a false trade-off. It convinced so many of us that you could either move fast and break things or you could take care of people, one or the other. And we have found that there is a third, much better way. And that is, we can move even faster if we fix things along the way. And so, that’s what I’d love to talk to you about right now. And the way that we think about this is that if you want to move fast and fix things, we have to do it on a foundation of trust. And so, the first thing to do is to experience high trust. And we’re going to talk about how to build trust. But the way we see the world can be described in this grid. And in the presence of trust, we can move really fast. That’s how we move fast and fix things. We call it accelerating excellence. It’s only when we’re in the presence of low trust that we move fast and break things, or what we call being reckless disruption. And as I said, so many organizations are afraid of reckless disruption that they actually end up in this state of responsible stewardship, which is really just going slowly. And so, we wrote the book to get those that are in responsible stewardship to realize that we could go across the way to accelerating excellence. And we didn’t have to go down to reckless disruption. So, the way that we think about this, and it’s the way we wrote the book, is that there’s a five-step plan to do it. We organized the book for days of the week. We think that the metabolic rate of organizations can be improved significantly and that many, many hard problems can be solved in just one week. So, we wrote the book in the structure of a week. Step one is we have to find our real problem, that if we’re… for far too many of us, we’re addressing the symptom and not the cause. At any problem, there’s going to be trust broken at the bottom of it. And we’re going to solve for trust. We’re then going to learn how to get more perspectives to make our plans even better. Learn how to tell a narrative that works. And then, and only then, on Friday, do we get to go as fast as we can. And what typically happens in the move fast and break things is that we move Friday too forward in the week. So, our goal is to put ourselves in a position to move fast. And you have to wait till Friday to do that. So, what do I mean by finding the real problem? Most of us, a problem gets presented as a symptom. So, I’ll give you a recent example that got presented to me and Anne. We got called by a company. And they said, we’re having a gender problem. Will you come in and help us? And we’ve been able to help many organizations solve gender problems. So, we go in there. And we just wanted to make sure that they really did have a gender problem. The symptoms were super clear. There were no women at the top of the organization. Not very many women were coming into the organization. And great women were leaving the organization. So, they had… it looked like a gender problem. But it took, I don’t know, an hour. It took 60 minutes, certainly not even all of Monday, to uncover that their actual problem was not a gender problem. Their actual problem was a communication problem. And if we did all of the things that we know exist in our gender tool kit on how to fix gender, that would have all been wasted effort. But instead, what we found out is that the founders of this organization, and they were two cofounders, and they were very similar to each other, and they’d worked together and known each other for decades. They had a really uncomfortably and aggressively direct communication style. That communication style repelled all women and most men. So yes, the symptoms were gender. But oh, my goodness, the cause was that the two founders were succumbing to a problem many of us succumb to, which is, we were treating others as we like to be treated. They loved to be treated with aggressively direct communication. But nobody else loved it. And when we simply confronted them with that and taught them that instead of treating others as you want to be treated, now it’s a puzzle. Find out how they want to be treated, and treat them that way. Gets fixed. And all of a sudden, women and lots of other men are flowing to the organization. So, Monday… and we take a whole day for this. Let’s make sure we’re solving the real problem. And symptoms are rarely the cause. So, we just want to do some due diligence, some due diligence there. Once we know we’re solving for the real problem, there’s going to be trust broken down somewhere in the… amidst the problem. Well, very fortunately, we now understand trust super well. If I’m going to earn your trust, you will have an involuntary reaction of trusting me if you experience my authenticity, logic, and empathy all at the same time. When these three things are present, you will trust me. But if any one of these three is missing, you will not trust me. And here’s the catch. If trust is broken, and we know it’s only ever broken for one of these three reasons, we need to know which of the three, because the prescriptions to solve a broken authenticity pillar versus logic pillar versus empathy pillar, they’re entirely different from one another. So, you can think about rebuilding trust. It’s just a matching game. Know which one is at stake. And then bring in the curated prescription for that. There is a myth about trust that it takes a lifetime to build and a moment to destroy. And then you can never rebuild it. None of those things are true, that we can actually build trust very quickly when we understand the architecture of it. We can rebuild it quickly and just as strong as it was before. So, this notion that trust is a Faberge egg, it’s catchy and not true. Trust is being rebuilt all the time. But we want to do it with a deep understanding of the stable architecture. So, Tuesday takes all day. We solve for trust. On Wednesday, we call Wednesday making new friends. And what we mean by that is whichever collection of people you bring to the table who are the people that maybe are on your senior team or the people that you bring to the table to solve problems. And here, I’ve represented a table. And there’s eight check marks for eight seats. I encourage you to bring four extra chairs to that table. If you have eight seats, bring four extra chairs. Point to the extra chairs and ask yourself, who’s not here? Who has a stake in our problem who’s not represented at the table? I was recently in a conversation with our senior colleagues at the Harvard Business School. And we were talking about how to do junior faculty development. And we came up with what we thought were great ideas. And then we looked around and we were like, Oh, my goodness, there’s no junior faculty here. How on Earth do we know if these are good ideas? So, we got the empty seats. We invited people in. And sure enough, the junior faculty helped improve our plans dramatically. The equivalent of that always happens. So, on Wednesday, we want to make new friends. So, one is inviting them into the room. But then the second part is, how do you make sure that their voices are heard? And what we need to do is that when someone comes to the room, they’re going to be awfully tempted to say things that they think we want to hear. They’re going to be awfully tempted to conform to what we’re already saying. So, what we need to do is learn how to be inclusive of their unique voices. And the way we do that is by going through this four-step progressive process, which is, first, we have to make sure they feel safe and that they feel… they’re going to feel physically and emotionally safe, I’m sure, but that they feel psychologically safe. And that’s a shout-out to Amy Edmondson and all of her beautiful work there. But we have to make sure that we feel safe. Once we feel safe, then it’s our job to make sure that the new voices feel welcome. You can think of that as table stakes. Then when we’re doing is we’re really trying to move people up the inclusion dial. And here, this is when it really starts to make a big difference. And now what we want to do is make sure that they feel celebrated for their unique contribution. And so, what we’re doing is moving them up the inclusion dial. Now, here’s why that’s kind of hard. Most of us tend to celebrate sameness. And here, I’m asking you to celebrate uniqueness. And what I mean by celebrating sameness is that for the most part, like, when I watch my students in class, if one student says something, and then another student was going to say that, after class, they go and seek out the first person. And they’re like, you’re awesome. You said what I was going to say. They didn’t realize this. They’re celebrating sameness. They’re encouraging sameness. So, what I do is I advise my students to not share that verbal treat, that what we playfully refer to as a Scooby snack. Don’t share that Scooby snack for when somebody says something you were going to say. Share it for when somebody says something you could never have said on your own, and that it comes from their lived experience and learned experience, and how they metabolize successes and failures, and their ambition, if they’re lucky enough to have neurodiversity, their worldview, all of that. It’s a beautiful cocktail. Wait till they say something that comes uniquely from all of that. Celebrate that. When we celebrate uniqueness, that’s when we get the blossoming of the perspectives. And what we want to do to make somebody really feel included is we celebrate them when they are in our presence. But if you really want somebody to feel included, and we bring folks into the room for this, make sure that you champion them when they’re in the absence. So, let’s not just ask the junior faculty to come along. Or if it’s a senior team, and it’s mostly men, and the board of directors is coming in, and we’re like, oh, goodness. Let’s make sure we can show some women too. So, we bring some women along. We celebrate them in our presence. Let’s make sure that we champion them in our absence as well, which is celebrate their uniqueness in our presence and champion them in rooms that they’re not yet allowed into in their absence. So that’s Wednesday. Let’s make new friends. Let’s include their voices. Let’s champion those new voices in their absence. Thursday, we tell a good story. And stories have three parts to it: past, present, and future. It is really important – if you’re going to change something, if you’re going to fix something, it is critical to honor the past. People that were here before us, if they don’t feel like we see the past, we see them, we’re honoring the past, I promise you, they’re going to hold us back. And they’re going to be like The Godfather movie and keep pulling us back. So, we have to honor the past with clear eyes, both the good part of the past and the bad part of the past. Then we have to answer the question, why should we change now? Like, why shouldn’t we change maybe next week, maybe the week after, maybe the month after, maybe next year? So, it’s really important that we give a clear and compelling change mandate that answers the question, why now? Why not in a little while? I find that if you’re a retailer, and you have the metaphor of Walmart just opened up next door, clear, compelling. We have to… that should be our metaphor. How can we be, with as crisp of a language, clear and compelling about why now? And then we’ve honored the past. We have a clear and compelling change mandate. You want people to follow us in the improved future, we have to have a super rigorous and a super optimistic way forward. We have seen so many people be optimistic without rigor. Nobody’s going to follow. And similarly, rigor without optimism, also, nobody’s going to follow. So, it’s our job to keep refining and refining and refining until we can be both rigorous and optimistic. Now, how do we know when our plan is working? Well, here are the four parts of storytelling that we know. Our job is to understand this plan so deeply that we can describe it simply. When we describe it, we want to make sure if I describe it to you, and you describe it to the next person, that the next person understands it as if I described it to them. So, our job is to understand so deeply that we can describe simply that it’s understood in our absence. And the ultimate test is it’s understood when they go home and share it with their family. They have the same understanding we want. We find this to be the four-stage litmus test to make sure we have been effective in our communication. And when people understand it this well, then they can act on it in our absence. And that’s when we’re now in the position to go as fast as we can. And when all of that infrastructure is in place, well, then we can go super fast. And there are all kinds of clever ways that we can do that. So, I look forward to opening this up and having a conversation with you.

NICOLE SMITH: That was excellent. Professor, we got several questions. I want to just dive right into it. Tessa asked, what tools, practices, and skills do you use to uncover the underlying superficial problems? It sounded like you talked a lot about questions and asking questions.

FRANCES FREI: Yeah, it’s right. So, the Toyota production system would famously refer to the five whys. And they had… and that was root cause analysis, which we all know. But essentially, what they found is that it’s about five… why does this exist? Well, why does that exist? Well, why does that exist? Like, if you ask why five times, they found that that’s how you got to the root cause. We find, in practice, the answer is closer to three. It’s rarely one. So, it would be, the symptom and the cause are usually a few layers. And you want to keep asking why. So, that’s the first thing I would say, is that we want to have… make sure that you’re doing root cause analysis. But the second thing on a specific tool, the tool that we like the most, we call the indignities list. And what you do is that… and the way we found out the symptom is we went to women in this company, because that’s what… they said they were having a gender problem. And we asked the women, is there anything that’s going on at work that just… it feels like it’s just nicking your dignity? And it occurs for… is it happening to you, or you observe it happening to other women? So, you go in search of the indignities list. Every time we do this, you’ll get a list of issues. Often, they will sound trivial. When you start to get convergence on those indignities, we then ask you to convert those indignities to the dignity list. And in this case, it was the communication style. And you know what the awesome thing about that was? It was free.

NICOLE SMITH: Wow.

FRANCES FREI: You can’t beat free.

NICOLE SMITH: Monique asks, can you speak more about how to amplify others’ ideas and perspectives, especially when they’re from underrepresented stakeholders?

FRANCES FREI: Oh, I love that question. Thank you very much. And so, I’m going to go to… here is my favorite visual on the amplification part, which is the team I’ve drawn in the middle, it’s a three-person team. And each circle represents a person on the team. And I’m showing that there’s three circles in the middle, that those folks are very similar to one another. And then on either side, we have a team where there’s difference among us. And this is where the underrepresented might come in. If we’re not careful, when we have underrepresented voices, we’re only going to be seeking from them the parts that overlap with us. So, this is when we’ve invited them to the table, but we’re not inclusive of their voices. What we want to do is make sure that everybody feels comfortable bringing all of their richness to the table, not just the part that overlaps. And so, what we find we need to do is be very solicitous about… and same with questions. From your perspective, how does this sound to you? What else are we missing? What I’m trying to do is get you off the scent of saying what you think I want to say or even asking you to say what I want to say because it makes me feel better. But I want to be inclusive of all of the gorgeous uniqueness. And this, of course, ties to diversity, equity, and inclusion, which I know has gotten a rocky go of things in the press. But what I’ll tell you is, if I got to rewrite diversity, equity, and inclusion, I would have written it as inclusion, equity, and diversity, because I have seen teams bring… I have seen organizations bring in diverse and underrepresented talent and not get the benefit from it.

NICOLE SMITH: Yeah.

FRANCES FREI: So, diversity may or may not beget inclusion. But I have never, ever seen an organization that was inclusive that didn’t beget gorgeous diversity.

NICOLE SMITH: Right.

FRANCES FREI: So, be inclusive first.

NICOLE SMITH: I appreciate you saying that, not just sitting at the table, but actually including and giving lift to people’s voices. I also want to talk about this friends thing you keep talking about, making new friends. First of all, how do I identify who’s a friend?

FRANCES FREI: Yeah. So, in this case, I want the friend to be someone who is as different from you as possible. So, the new friends. Like, who’s worthy of friendship? Not someone who you’re already attracted to, not somebody who you’re already hanging out with. So, here’s the thing about humans. We really like people who are really like us. It doesn’t make us bad people. But it just makes us human. And so, what I want you to do is seek difference. Find people from different perspectives. And that will be demographic difference, different lived experience, different learned experience. And so, if we’re senior faculty, let’s invite in junior faculty. If we’re all women, let’s invite in a man. If we’re all engineers, let’s make sure we’re bringing in the perspective of marketing. So, what I would say is my guiding principle is seek difference. Those are your potential new friends.

NICOLE SMITH: OK, so Steve wants to hone in on Friday, right? And Steve asks, can you paint a quick sketch of what’s going fast after this being slower – a slower, more thoughtful process?

FRANCES FREI: I sure can. Thank you, Steve. And so, here’s how I would think about Friday. We need ruthless prioritization. And what I mean by that is that for the most part, organizations have… that we work equally on everything. We think everything is equally important. But what we know is that organizations that win, they have ruthless prioritization. And they know, this is what I’m designed to be great at. And this is what I’m designed to be bad at. Not bad for sport, bad in the service of great. And if an organization can’t discern between these two, they’re going to end up with exhausted mediocrity. And so, what we have to do for our employees and the rest of the organization is, here’s what we’re going to optimize on. That’s half the story. And here’s what we’re not. So, I’ll give you an example of this. And the example is from Steve Jobs. And if those of you that are a bit techie, and you remember 20 years ago, when Steve Jobs walked out on that Worldwide Developer Conference stage with a manila envelope, and it had a MacBook Air in it. And he slid out that MacBook Air. And the crowd and the world went crazy, because it was the lightest-weight laptop in the world. Well, he very, very openly said, we are best in class at weight because we are worst in class at physical features. We could have been best in class at physical features. But then we would have been worst in class at weight. Or we could have chosen to be average at both. But then we would have had to rename our company. And then he made fun of another company that I won’t say here. So, we will end up… if we aren’t deliberate, we’re going to end up with exhausted mediocrity, constantly getting better at the things we’re bad at, which, without realizing it, means we’re getting worse at the things we’re good at. So, the most important thing we can do on Friday is to articulate, this is what we want to be disproportionately good at. And thus, this is what we want to be disproportionately bad at. And there’s a whole other series of things. But that’s the most important one.

NICOLE SMITH: Mm-hmm. Speaking of Steve Jobs, we have a question where they ask, do you think that the culture in Silicon Valley is changing from break things to fix things, particularly as it pertains to not only their own companies, but broader societal problems?

FRANCES FREI: Yeah, so I – not in all of Silicon Valley. So, I think we can famously see, it’s not clear to me that Twitter is moving fast and fixing things. But what I will say is that, look at Uber today. And I had the pleasure of going and working with Uber back in 2017, when they were going to move fast and break things. They are moving fast and fixing things now, and going at a catapulting speed. Or ServiceNow didn’t ever even go through move fast and break things. It’s just moving fast and fixing things. Stripe is doing the same thing. Airbnb is now moving fast and fixing things. So, what I would say is that Silicon Valley can now choose to move fast and fix things, whereas, in the past, I think they only thought they had the choice of going slow or moving fast and breaking things. Today, we have the choice. And more and more companies are making that choice.

NICOLE SMITH: Mm-hmm. And so, Bill asked, which one of these steps do you find the most commonly in need of… that companies need the most help with? So, you laid out Monday through Friday. Is there something that sticks out often?

FRANCES FREI: Well, I’ll tell you that if companies are really pressed for time, they skip Thursday. And that’s to their peril, because if we skip Thursday, that means we have to be present. And we’re a bottleneck for everything. That means people need us to translate why this is important. So, I would say that Thursday is the one that’s most often skipped. And I encourage you not to. And then I would say that Tuesday is the one that’s most often misunderstood because of all of the myths I mentioned that we have about trust. And we just think, oh, if trust is broken, we have to work around it, as opposed to going right through it and rebuilding trust.

NICOLE SMITH: So, Thursday, that’s the storytelling, honoring the past, describing it simply, right? So why do we struggle to describe things simply?

FRANCES FREI: Oh, I don’t know what your inbox looks like on your email. But you tell me how many long emails you have.

NICOLE SMITH: I refuse to deal with my inbox. I’ll deal with it later.

FRANCES FREI: So, Mark Twain was right. I apologize for sending you a long letter. I didn’t have the time to send you a short letter. It’s the metaphor for all of this, that when we understand something in a complicated way, we want to benefit people from the entirety of our knowledge. And we just throw up all of it on people, as opposed to realizing the beautiful curation and skill that’s required to go from understanding it deeply to understanding it elegantly in its simplicity. So, I think it takes time. It’s also… it takes skill. Like, this is… there are professional communicators for a reason. They’re really good at it. But if you’re on your second draft of something, you have no chance of describing it simply. So, I would say, unless you’re on your 10th draft, you’re probably describing it in too complicated of a way.

NICOLE SMITH: Yeah. So, can I ask you a little bit more of a personal question, Professor?

FRANCES FREI: Yeah, anything.

NICOLE SMITH: So, Abby asks, how do you apply the essential steps to moving fast and fixing things in your own consulting role? So, Uber and all the places that you go.

FRANCES FREI: Yeah. Yeah, so I’ll tell you, when we’ve been successful, it’s when organizations come to us, and they say, here’s our problem. Will you help us? When we’ve been unsuccessful is when we go to the organizations, and we’re like, we think you’re having a problem. So, pull works. Push doesn’t. So, the only thing we can’t provide is the desire to change. And so, I would say personally, make sure there’s an opening. And then you can be super helpful in fixing a problem. And I also would say that all of this applies to yourself. I mean, that ruthless prioritization – so many of us are trying to be good at as many things as possible – at work, at home, daughter, sister, cousin, parent, friend – as opposed to, I’m going to kill it at work, kill it at home. And I am not going to be good… not now. I’m not going to be as good at all of these other things. So, you can either choose exhausted mediocrity, or you can have the nobility of excellence. These things are choices. So, I think all of this applies to ourselves.

NICOLE SMITH: So, let’s go back to Tuesday, where you drew that triangle with logic, and empathy, and authenticity. So, Hung asks, between logic and empathy, which one would you say an individual should develop first? And Hung really describes just having a left foot and right foot and not knowing which one to go forward.

FRANCES FREI: Yeah. So, here’s what I would say, Hung, is, ask yourself… I bet you’re trusted most of the time, which means people are experiencing your authenticity, logic, and empathy most of the time. But ask yourself, the last time, or the most recent times you had a skeptic, you had someone who was doubting you, who they were wobbling on your trust, ask yourself, what is it that they doubted about you? And if it’s that they doubted your logic, double click there. If they doubted your empathy, double click there. And that is, each of us has what we call a wobble. Each one of us has a pattern where the distribution of these is higher for one or the other. That’s the sequence I would go in. There’s not some generic sequence that is better. All three of these pillars are equally important. But I bet, for each one of us, one tends to be more shaky than the other. And that’s what I would go after. Now, I will just tell you the distribution in the world. The vast majority of us have empathy wobbles, then logic wobbles, then authenticity wobbles. But that doesn’t help any of us specifically. It just tells us we have lots of company.

NICOLE SMITH: OK. So, we got a lot more questions and a little time. I want to get as many as I can in, but…

FRANCES FREI: OK, I’ll go super quick. Yeah.

NICOLE SMITH: No, take your time. But I just want to let you know, you’re pretty popular in this conversation. Rock star, as Allison said. Tara asks, how can company leadership make sure that their messaging is actually heard and understood? I feel like you touched on this a bit with simplicity.

FRANCES FREI: Yeah. Yeah, and I think that the way to do it is, talk to people about your message that didn’t hear it directly from you. And see how well they understood. That tells you whether or not it’s reaching. So, don’t ask the people that were in the room. Ask the people that were spoken to by other people in the room. That will tell you how well it’s there. And if it took you a long time to describe it, I promise you, it’s not going to be heard.

NICOLE SMITH: Mm. Oh, wow. Yeah, thinking about it, probably need to shorten my own stories a little bit here. So, Karen asks you, how do you handle employees who are not willing to accept others’ points of view and be open minded? I mean, you described this uniqueness and diversity. But there are people who are holdouts that don’t see the advantage of that.

FRANCES FREI: So, I often find those folks are an education away, because if I can let you know that if I get to benefit from everyone’s point of view, and you only get to benefit from some people’s point of view, I will competitively thump you. So, let’s say you don’t have the moral imperative wanting to do it. Well, the performance imperative… we have found that organizations that are inclusive get a 200% to 500% boost on employee engagement and team performance with no new people, no new technology, simply the act of being inclusive. So, the person who doesn’t want to be inclusive, I’m going to ask them, can they afford… can their career afford performing so suboptimally?

NICOLE SMITH: Mm. And so, we have a question. The person didn’t leave their name, so I don’t have a name. But how much time do you spend on each stage? Some folks like to spend more time on stages than others. Does the team not move forward until everyone’s satisfied with the current step? What do you do when you hit a roadblock on each stage, and not everyone is in agreement?

FRANCES FREI: Yeah. Well, I don’t like consensus, so I’ll just… I’ll say there. And so, what I try to do is work on momentum, which is that I want to make sure that everybody’s voices have been heard. But then you have to leave the decision to someone else. So, we want to do is make sure everybody’s voices are heard, and they had a chance to do it. But we don’t hold out until the very last person. We move forward. And then we can retrace and see if the momentum can bring people forward. So, not consensus. I would consider it not consensus, and we have to make sure that everybody gets to air out what their problems are.

NICOLE SMITH: OK. Well, Christopher asks our last question. How does transparency fit into this model, specifically this trust, authenticity, logic model? Does it have a place?

FRANCES FREI: Yeah. It sure does. And I find that the most important part for transparency is on the logic side. So, if you’re going to say… if you’re going to inspect whether or not I have good rigor, and I have a good plan, I could say, oh, just have faith. I did all of this hard work. Or I could give you a glimpse inside so that you can see the inner workings. Now, I often call it a window of transparency, because there’s actually a cost of full transparency that I’m not always willing to take. But a window of transparency, I think we always need. So, to me, the transparency part is, let’s be transparent about our logic so people can see it for themselves, and they don’t have to do it in too much of a faith-based way.

NICOLE SMITH: Professor, that was all dynamic. And thank you for the illustrations. You made it simple with the illustrations.

FRANCES FREI: Yeah, all right. Awesome. Thanks so much.

NICOLE SMITH: Thank you for your time.

FRANCES FREI: OK.

HANNAH BATES: That was Harvard Business School professor Frances Frei in conversation with HBR’s editorial audience director Nicole Smith at the “Future of Business” virtual conference in November 2023.

We’ll be back next Wednesday with another hand-picked conversation about leadership from Harvard Business Review. If you found this episode helpful, share it with your friends and colleagues, and follow our show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. While you’re there, be sure to leave us a review.

When you’re ready for more podcasts, articles, case studies, books, and videos with the world’s top business and management experts, you’ll find it all at HBR.org.

This episode was produced by Anne Saini, and me, Hannah Bates. Ian Fox is our editor. Music by Coma Media. Special thanks to Dave Di Iulio, Terry Cole, and Maureen Hoch, Erica Truxler, Ramsey Khabbaz, Nicole Smith, Anne Bartholomew, and you – our listener. See you next week.

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