Why do smart, well-intentioned leaders look at the same struggling team and come to completely different conclusions?

In this opening episode, Ryan explores how leaders don’t just disagree on solutions, they disagree on what the actual problem is. One sees accountability. Another sees burnout. Another sees broken systems. Same facts. Different stories.

Drawing on Spiral Dynamics and Karl Weick’s research on sensemaking, the episode unpacks how we don’t react to reality itself, we react to the story we build about it. And under pressure, we double down on the lens that has worked for us before.

The invitation is simple and practical: before arguing about solutions, ask, “What problem do we believe we’re trying to solve?”

That question alone can create connection and change how you lead.