“I see, I mean, I am having a problem with one of my new supervisors, and I need to know if he is up to the challenge. If you could interview him, I would appreciate your feedback,” explained Ryan.

“You started to tell me what you were seeing,” I pushed. “Then you stopped and announced that you had a problem, a problem you think I can fix for you.”

“If you can’t fix it, can you, at least, tell me what to do, how to handle him?” Ryan shifted quickly.

“Let’s go back to what you see. You think you need to make a move with this new supervisor, and you haven’t told me what you see. If you can describe to me what you see, we can likely make some headway.”

I could see Ryan’s impatience. He wanted a quick fix, something he could nail and move on. And yet, I could see his breathing slow down. He knew there was no magic pixie dust. “Okay, what do I see? I see a project on his plate. This is not a huge project, but it will take some planning to make sure everything falls into place.”

“And what do you see, in your new manager?” I pressed.

“I see some confusion, disorganization. I see the clock ticking on this project, and he hasn’t taken the first step. This will be a test in his new role and I am afraid the wheels on the project might get a little wobbly.”

“And what are the things that could make the wheels get wobbly?”

“It’s not that difficult,” Ryan thought out loud. “First, he has to make a list of the milestones, then a list of the people, materials and equipment for each of the milestones.”

“I know you think you have a problem with this new supervisor, and as you describe what you see, what moves do YOU need to make, as his manager?”