The Second “P”: Problems

In the last video, we explored the power of People: how the right leaders and environments can lift you, and the wrong ones can quietly shrink your potential. Now we move to the second lens: Problems.

At this stage of your career, you’re not hired for your title, you’re hired to solve meaningful, high-stakes problems. Yet many executives and senior managers lead their search by listing job history instead of showing the value they create. What truly matters isn’t what you’ve done, but what problems you’re great at solving and the impact.

This section is about reconnecting with the challenges that energise you, the ones that bring out your best work.

Ask yourself:

• What problems am I naturally drawn to?
• What type of problems do I want to solve in my next role?
• When have I been most in flow: stabilising chaos, scaling teams, driving transformation?
• What challenges do I never want to face again?
• And what patterns or themes have followed me through my career?

If you’re between roles, these questions help rebuild confidence in what you offer. If you’re active in the market, they sharpen your focus so you can spot misaligned opportunities early. And if you’re passively open, they’ll help you recognise the kind of challenge worth leaving your current role for.

When you’re clear on the problems you solve, everything changes: your conversations, your positioning, your confidence. You stop being just another candidate and start becoming the answer to someone’s biggest challenge.

Practical Tip:
Write down the three most significant challenges you’ve solved in the past five years. Then next to each, note the measurable business outcome. This becomes the foundation for how you articulate your value: in your CV, LinkedIn, and every interview ahead.