How to raise a problem at work
Meet Sam.
He wants his team to work well together. Sometimes he expresses frustration without explaining what’s going wrong.
We’re not writing down what we decide. That’s why we keep revisiting the same decisions.
A useful next step can follow once the problem is clear.
Make the problem specific.
Sam’s team keeps revisiting decisions from previous meetings. People remember the conversations differently because nobody writes down what was actually decided.
Sam’s coworker
I could’ve sworn we already settled this last week.
Sam’s first response
We seem to keep going in circles…
Name the missing piece.
This expresses frustration, but it doesn’t explain why decisions keep coming back.
Sam’s clearer response
We did, but we didn’t write it down. That’s why there’s some confusion.
- Missing written record
- Repeated decisions
When someone sees it differently
Sam’s coworker
Wasn’t that just a one-off misunderstanding?
Sam
It’s happened more than once. We’re having to remember what we agreed each time.
Explain that it keeps happening.
If they ask what should change
Sam’s coworker
What should we do differently?
Sam’s suggestion
Let’s write up a summary email before we finish each meeting.
Suggest a practical next step.
Describe the problem behind the frustration.
Three illustrative situations Sam might face. Explain what’s happening and how it affects the work.
Two meetings at the same time
Sam’s team meeting and a client call were both scheduled for ten. He joined the client call and missed the team meeting.
Sam’s manager
Why weren’t you at the team meeting?
Sam
I was double-booked. I joined the client call, so I couldn’t make the team meeting.
Explain the scheduling conflict.
Sam keeps getting interrupted
Sam is preparing instructions for a customer. Each time he starts, coworkers interrupt with questions, and he hasn’t had enough uninterrupted time to finish.
Sam’s manager
What’s holding up the instructions?
Sam
I keep getting pulled away to answer questions. I need some uninterrupted time to finish writing this.
Explain what’s interrupting the work.
Equipment is slowing down the work
Twice this morning, the check-in computer stopped responding. Sam had to restart it while customers waited.
Sam’s coworker
Why is the line moving so slowly?
Sam
We’re losing time restarting the computer instead of checking people in.
Explain how the problem is affecting the work.
Your turn
Your turn to respond.
Read the situation. Think of your answer or say it aloud before opening the example.
The situation
Your team uses the same chat for normal questions and genuinely urgent problems. People have started treating almost every message like it needs an immediate reply.
Your coworker
I feel like I can’t step away from this chat anymore.
What would you say?
Name the issue behind the pressure to stay available.
See one possible response
One possible response
It’s hard to tell which messages can wait. Everything comes through the same chat.
Explain why every message feels urgent.
Practice before it matters.
Pressure gives you short conversations to answer out loud, feedback on your response, and a chance to try again when a retry is available.
See how practice worksFind your words.
Practice saying them.
Short spoken reps for everyday conversations.
