The problem isn’t the problem: how to find what’s really holding you back at work (the 3P Framework)

A client once opened with something that sounded straightforward: ‘I need to get better at managing my team.’

On paper, it’s a skills problem. In reality, it’s often something else entirely — a lens problem.

That’s why in coaching, the problem you bring is rarely the problem you solve.

When the ‘issue’ is only the surface

In career and leadership, the presenting issue is usually a symptom: confidence, communication, boundaries, performance, decision-making.

But symptoms don’t tell you what’s driving the pattern — they only tell you where it shows up.

The 3P Framework (Perception, Perspective, Possibility)

I use a simple framework to clarify what’s actually happening — and where change becomes possible.

1) Perception: What are you assuming is true? What feels ‘obvious’ — and therefore unquestioned?

2) Perspective: What else could be true? What changes when you widen the frame, add context, or challenge the default story?

3) Possibility: Once the lens shifts, what becomes available that wasn’t available before — actions, conversations, decisions, boundaries?

A quick self-check you can do today

If you’re facing a work problem right now, try this:

• What am I treating as the problem?

• What would make this problem ‘not a problem’ anymore?

• What belief would have to change for that to be true?

If you want clarity fast

Ready to get clarity fast? Book a Starter Session.