"Don't bring problems without solutions."

I used to subscribe to this mindset.

Here's why I don't today:

Every person on your team can't solve every problem.

That's an unrealistic and unreasonable expectation.

And if they see a problem they don't know how to solve...

They aren't going to tell you about it.

You miss out on all the intel your team has by requiring them to solve any problem they identify.

Don't put the burden of solving the problem on the person that identified it.

That's your job, not theirs.

Encourage people to speak up and be candid about things that aren't working...

Even if they don't have the solution right now.

Instead of:

"Don't bring problems without solutions"

Try:

"We don't want naysayers & complainers."

That's what we're really trying to say with the first statement anyway.