We Don't Have Any Issues...
You walk into the weekly leadership meeting, agenda in hand, ready to tackle business challenges.
Then comes the part of the meeting where it’s time to address issues.
And you hear it - crickets.
Someone mumbles, “I don’t have anything this week.”
Another nods in agreement.
No one else can think of anything.
But let’s be honest: that silence is a warning sign, not a good sign.
If your team “has no issues,” you likely have bigger ones beneath the surface.
What’s Really Going On?
When teams say they have no issues, it’s rarely true. More often, it means:
1. They're Too Busy to Slow Down
People are buried in the weeds. Heads down. They may not see patterns or problems building until they explode.
2. There’s a Lack of Trust or Psychological Safety
If people don’t feel safe bringing up hard truths - about performance, culture, or even each other - they won’t.
3. They Don’t Know What an 'Issue' Really Is
To many teams, “issues” means catastrophic fires. But issues also include:
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Opportunities we're ignoring
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Misalignment between departments
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Bottlenecks or broken processes
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People in the wrong seats
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Missed expectations or values violations
4. They’re Lazy or Apathetic
It happens. If no one owns the meeting’s purpose - or if there’s no follow-up - people disengage.
How to Fix It
๐น 1. Redefine What Counts as an Issue
Coach your team to broaden their lens. Ask:
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What’s slowing us down?
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What’s annoying you?
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What’s not working as well as it should?
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Where are we tolerating dysfunction?
- If you could change anything about the business, what would it be?
- If all else fails, do a SWOT (bringing up strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats).
Encourage them to surface anything - the conversation will filter the rest.
๐น 2. Model Vulnerability at the Top
As the leader, you go first. Share something uncomfortable. Call out a concern. Admit a failure.
The more real you are, the more permission your team feels to do the same.
๐น 3. Keep an “Issue List” All Week (make it accessible)
Encourage team members to add issues to the list all week long (even if they’re not fully formed).
This habit builds the muscle of awareness, and it ensures the agenda isn’t blank come meeting day.
๐น 4. Add a Feedback Moment
Dedicate 10 minutes once a month for peer-to-peer feedback or a quick check-in:
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“What’s one thing this team is doing well, and one thing we need to do better?”
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Do a team health activity (Like Lencioni's Ideal Team Player)
You’d be surprised how many issues these can uncover.
๐น 5. Use a Facilitator (Not the CEO)
When the boss runs the meeting, people filter themselves. Try rotating facilitators (let others on the team give it a shot). It changes the tone and unlocks more honest input.
Final Thought: No Issues = No Growth
A team that never surfaces issues isn’t high-functioning, it’s asleep at the wheel.
Issues are the raw material of progress. The faster you identify and solve them, the faster you grow.
So the next time someone says, “I don’t have anything,” respond with:
“Then let’s talk about why that is...because I know we’re not perfect yet.”
Ryan Giles
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