Why ‘don’t come to me with problems—come to me with solutions’ is bad advice

“Don’t come to me with problems. Come to me with solutions.” You’ve almost certainly heard this line. You may have even said it yourself. It sounds both tough-minded and empowering. But of all the things managers say with good intentions, this is my least favorite. It inadvertently sends two unhelpful messages: First, that problems aren’t welcome, and second, that solving them is something you should do on your own. Both are exactly wrong in today’s complex, uncertain world. As a management…