Problems or Patterns? The Impact is in Knowing the Difference

In leadership, you’re constantly solving problems.

A missed deadline.

A poor hire.

A project that didn’t hit the mark.

It’s easy to treat these issues as one-offs—put out the fire, check the box, move on. That’s how most people operate. But here’s what high-impact leaders know:

Problems are isolated. Patterns are connected.

The impact is in knowing the difference.

The Power of Perspective

Let’s say you’ve had three different employees struggle with the same role over the last year.

Or maybe you’re constantly getting pulled into last-minute issues—different situations, same frantic energy.

At first glance, these feel like separate challenges. But when you step back and connect the dots, a bigger picture emerges:

• Repeated turnover? Maybe expectations were never clearly defined.
• Constant emergencies? Maybe your team is operating without clear priorities or decision-making authority.

These aren’t just problems. They’re signals.

And when those signals start to repeat, you’re looking at a pattern.

Why Patterns Matter More Than Problems

Solving problems is reactive.

Breaking patterns is strategic.

You can fix a missed deadline by staying late.

But if deadlines are missed every sprint, it’s not a time issue—it’s a planning or communication pattern.

You can coach one employee on performance.

But if three people are underperforming in the same role, it’s likely a leadership, training, or structural pattern.

Patterns show you where your systems are breaking down—and that gives you leverage.

If you can name the pattern, you can change it.

Three Steps to Leading Through Patterns

1. Slow down and look for repetition.

Ask yourself, “Where have I seen this before?” Often, what feels new is actually familiar once you pause to reflect.

2. Name the pattern.

Until a pattern has a name, it stays invisible. Give it language. Let your team see it too.

• “We tend to avoid direct feedback until performance becomes a crisis.”
• “We regularly shift priorities without communicating the why.”

Naming it makes it addressable.

3. Break the pattern by changing the conditions.

Fix the root, not just the symptom. That might mean setting clearer expectations, redesigning a process, or holding yourself accountable to a new standard.

Don’t Just Break Patterns—

Build Better Ones

Here’s the next-level insight:

Every broken pattern is an opportunity to build a better one in its place.

When you dismantle a recurring problem, don’t just patch the gap—use it to engineer a new way of working.

• If meetings always run over and lack clarity, create a new rhythm with tighter agendas, pre-reads, and time-boxed decisions.
• If new hires keep floundering, establish a repeatable onboarding process that sets them up for early wins.
• If priorities constantly shift, implement a quarterly planning cycle with clear criteria for what earns attention.

Great leaders don’t just correct dysfunction—they create systems of health.

Patterns aren’t just things we fall into.

They’re also things we design intentionally.

So when you find a broken loop, ask yourself:

“What system could I put in place to make the right thing the easy thing—every time?”

The Leadership Shift

The best leaders I know don’t just solve what’s in front of them.

They lead by breaking the loops that keep the same problems coming back.

And more importantly—

They replace those loops with systems that create consistency, clarity, and momentum.

They’re not just reactive. They’re pattern-aware and pattern-driven.

So next time you’re dealing with an issue, ask yourself:

“Is this a problem… or a pattern in disguise?”

And then take it one step further:

“What’s the better pattern I need to build here?”

Recognizing the difference—and acting on it—could be the most impactful leadership move you make this year.