Falling in Love with the Problem
One of the most useful lessons I have learned in leadership is the idea of falling in love with the problem, not the solution. It is easy to fall in love with what we have built in any organization or company (the programs, the tools, the plans) and forget to stay in conversation with the problem we are trying to solve.
That idea came up twice for me this week in ways that made me feel like EMERGE is ready to lean into this idea.
At our quarterly retreat, Amy asked a question that has stayed with me: “What if, at the end of this year, we can’t prove that our model works?” It was not a question of doubt; it was a reminder that learning organizations do not assume their model will always be right. They test it.
Later in the week, I joined a celebration for Sarah and Kirsten, who have been part of a United Way data fellowship to define EMERGE’s logic model. Their reflections about clarifying how impact actually happens reminded me that we cannot take the link between what we do and what we aim to achieve for granted. We have to keep asking: Is what we are doing still working the way we think it does?
Both moments pointed to the same truth. To keep improving, we have to be willing to hold our solutions loosely and our purpose tightly.
The Discipline of Curiosity
Falling in love with the problem means we do not decide once and move on. We make a hypothesis about what will solve it, then revisit that hypothesis again and again.
A hypothesis-based approach keeps us in conversation with the problem. We ask:
- What do we believe will make the biggest difference?
- How will we know if it is working?
- What evidence would make us change course?
Then we act, test, and learn, refining our approach until the solution gets closer to truly addressing the problem.
That is why our FY26 learning framework matters. It gives structure to that discipline of curiosity:
- Prove the model still works
- Discover what version scales best
- Build the foundation that enables scale
When we prove, we ask whether the people we serve and partner with still find deep value in what we deliver. When we discover, we test which version of EMERGE (what combination of partnerships, delivery models, and approaches) has the greatest potential to scale. And when we build, we strengthen the systems, leadership, and culture that allow us to execute with discipline and adapt with confidence.
The point is not to protect our model. The point is to keep learning from it.
Falling in Love with the Problem at EMERGE
When we grow attached to a solution, we start defending it. When we stay attached to the problem, we stay curious.
For EMERGE, that means continuing to center the question that drives all of our work: How do we help talented students not only reach college but thrive there? Every decision we make, from how we advise students to how we partner with districts, should flow from that question.
That mindset shows up in small and large ways:
- When a new advising approach builds confidence for students, we study it and build on it.
- When a partnership falls short of expectations, we ask why and adjust.
- When a piece of our model no longer drives results, we evolve it rather than protect it.
Falling in love with the problem is not about abandoning what works. It is about staying honest about when it stops working.
Looking Ahead: From Reflection to Action
I am grateful for how this team showed up at the retreat with curiosity, engagement, and focus. You asked hard questions, challenged assumptions, and helped us get clear on what matters most.
Over the coming weeks, we will be finalizing FY26 goals and Q2 priorities. That work will build directly on what we discussed: testing what is working, clarifying what we are learning, and staying aligned on how we define success.
As you move into finalizing your plans, I invite you to consider one question:
Where in your work are you testing your hypotheses about what works, and where might you be overdue to revisit them?
That is what it means to stay in love with the problem. Because when we stay curious about the problem, our solutions keep getting stronger and our impact deeper.
