The most impactful feedback I ever received centered on problem-solving. It reminded me that how I frame a challenge determines the range of solutions I’m able to see. When I approach a project with an open mindset and flexible thinking, the field of possibilities widens. When I hold a tight agenda or a closed view, options narrow, often before the work has truly begun.
This insight has reshaped how I collaborate. When I’m working with others, staying open expands what’s available to the team: more ideas, better combinations, and stronger outcomes. When I allow a rigid approach to take over, I limit not only my thinking but everyone else’s contributions as well. The result is predictable and small, when what we’re actually after is meaningful and scalable.
Since adopting this mindset, I start by asking two orienting questions:
These questions lift my attention above the noise of preference and bias. They shift the conversation from “my plan” to “our best path.” With that reset, I notice patterns sooner, hear what others are really saying, and connect ideas that don’t look obvious at first pass. The work becomes less about defending a position and more about discovering a better solution.
Here are simple practices that help me keep that openness alive while problem-solving and collaborating:
With this feedback, my role shifted from being the person who must have the answer to being the person who helps the best answer emerge. Teams move faster when thinking stays flexible. Meetings end with clearer decisions because we considered a wider range of options. And people leave more energized because they were genuinely part of the solution.
This is not about being indecisive. It’s about being expansive first, decisive second. Openness at the front end leads to clarity at the back end. The payoff shows up in better results and a happier, more engaged team.
If you’re facing a complex decision today, pause and widen the lens. Ask for the highest and best outcome and the highest and best timeline. Notice where your agenda might be too tight. Then reopen the space for options. You’ll find that the combination of an open mindset and flexible thinking consistently produces smarter choices and stronger follow‑through.
The most impactful feedback I ever received didn’t give me a single tactic; it gave me a way to think. And that way of thinking continues to expand what’s possible in my work, my leadership, and my week.
September 8, 2025 - Mindful Monday presented by Chris Masiello, Chairman of The Masiello Group
