One of the hardest lessons to learn as a coach or leader is that not every problem needs to be solved immediately. Ideally, we’d address every inefficiency, streamline every process, and guide teams toward best practices as soon as we notice an issue. But reality doesn’t work that way.
Sometimes, you recognize a recurring pattern or see a team struggling with a flawed system, but you choose not to step in—yet. Not because you don’t care, but because other, more critical challenges demand attention first. The ability to prioritize what to fix and when to fix it is what separates strategic leadership from reactionary coaching.
The Urge to Fix Everything
It’s natural to want to step in and solve problems, especially when the solution seems obvious. But intervening at the wrong time can be just as damaging as ignoring an issue altogether.
Consider a team working within a workflow management system that has become overly complicated. They track too many statuses, create unnecessary transitions, and micromanage their work within the tool instead of focusing on actual delivery. As a coach, you can see the inefficiencies. But at the same time, you know this isn’t their biggest roadblock.
They might be struggling with alignment, miscommunication, or lack of clear priorities. Fixing the workflow management setup won’t matter if the underlying structure of the team remains chaotic. In the grand scheme, the overly detailed tracking is a symptom, not the root issue.
So instead of making it a priority, you hold off. Because solving this one pain point won’t address the bigger dysfunctions preventing the team from succeeding. Instead, focusing on the core structural challenges first will eventually create the conditions where they recognize and adjust their process on their own.
Strategic Coaching: When to Step In and When to Hold Back
So how do you determine what’s worth fixing now and what can wait? Here are some key considerations:
- Assess the True Impact – Is this problem causing significant harm, or is it just an inefficiency? If it’s not fundamentally blocking progress, it might not need immediate action.
- Look Beyond the Surface – Is this issue a symptom of a deeper dysfunction? Addressing the root cause will often resolve multiple smaller issues at once.
- Choose the Right Moment – Would tackling this now derail focus from more pressing matters? Timing matters as much as the solution itself.
- Read the Team’s Readiness – Are they open to change right now, or would addressing this create unnecessary friction? A team that is overwhelmed with challenges may resist well-intended interventions.
- Let the System Correct Itself – Many problems resolve naturally when foundational issues are addressed first. Improved communication and alignment often lead teams to identify and correct inefficiencies on their own.
The Strength in Letting Some Fires Burn (For Now)
Coaching isn’t about fixing everything—it’s about guiding teams toward long-term success. The real skill lies in knowing which fires need immediate attention and which ones will resolve themselves when larger systemic issues are handled first.
Not every inefficiency is worth addressing right away. Some obstacles need time to surface fully before they can be solved effectively. Knowing when to step in and when to wait is what makes a coach truly effective.
