Connecting to Admired Leadership
Dilemmas Are Problems That Never Get Solved
Episode Summary
A conversation with Diana Hong, Partner and Executive Coach at CRA | Admired Leadership, exploring the critical distinction between problems and dilemmas in leadership. Diana shares insights on how to identify whether you're facing a solvable problem or a dilemma that must be managed, and provides practical strategies for approaching each effectively to maximize your impact as a leader.
Episode Notes
Register to be part of future conversations in real time here
Or schedule a time to talk directly to our team here
Key Highlights
- Distinguishing problems from dilemmas: - Problems are solvable issues where you have control or influence - Dilemmas are situations largely outside your control that must be managed - Recognizing the difference changes your approach and energy allocation
- Hallmarks of a dilemma: - It's 90-100% out of your control - Attempting to solve it often makes things worse - It has a "long tail" with cascading effects - When you zoom out, you see it has many tentacles across the organization
- Effective approaches to dilemmas: - Reframe as "not yet" rather than "never" - Focus on what you can control rather than what you can't - Document potential solutions for when circumstances change - Choose effectiveness over being right
- Leadership communication strategies: - Help teams recognize dilemmas without becoming demotivated - Validate past work when implementing change - Involve people in data collection and analysis - Redirect energy toward solvable problems
Notable Quotes
- "Do you want to be right or do you want to be effective? Pick one."
- "Just because the answer is 'not yet' doesn't mean that it's 'never'."
- "You can't just only talk about the new legacy going forward because that erases what everyone else has done so far."
- "Think of yourself as a precious resource here... focus on the places where you're going to get the biggest return on your investment."
- "The measure of success is nobody's talking about it anymore."
Featured Speaker
Diana Hong is a Partner and Executive Coach at CRA | Admired Leadership with over 20 years of experience advising on strategic communication, change management, executive visibility, and stakeholder relationships. She specializes in coaching leaders and teams through complex organizational challenges and has worked with clients across numerous industries. Diana is known for her practical approach to leadership development and her ability to help leaders distinguish between problems they can solve and dilemmas they must manage.
Resources Mentioned