Picture this: it’s a packed Friday night. The kitchen is in the weeds, the bar is three deep, and your venue is buzzing with the kind of energy you work tirelessly for. Then, something goes wrong. A key ingredient is running low, or a new starter makes a glaring error. How your team handles that moment, how they communicate it, defines not just that night, but the entire culture of your operation. Yet, so much of the 'wisdom' floating around hospitality actively sabotages this. I’m talking about one piece of advice that makes my blood boil.
TLDR:
- Stop demanding 'solutions, not problems': This advice silences your restaurant staff and bar team, preventing early warnings and turning small issues into full-blown crises.
- Cultivate an open reporting culture: Encourage immediate and honest communication about any issue, big or small, without the expectation of a pre-packaged solution. Your job is to collaborate on finding answers.
- Trust your team's observations: Value their insights from the front lines. They often see problems first and are best placed to contribute to collective solutions when given the space to speak freely.
We’ve all heard it, maybe even said it ourselves in a moment of exasperation: "Don't bring me problems, bring me solutions." It sounds so… decisive, doesn't it? So business-like, so empowering. The idea is that you’re training your team to think critically, to take initiative, to be proactive rather than just complaining. It’s supposed to save you time, filtering out the noise and getting straight to the fix. It implies you want a team of problem-solvers, not problem-spotters. And on paper, it looks like a solid management principle.
But in the chaotic, human-first world of hospitality, this mantra is a poison. It’s a fast track to a disengaged team, festering issues, and an owner who is perpetually blindsided. I've seen first-hand the damage it does, turning dedicated professionals into nervous tip-toers, terrified of speaking up unless they have a fully formed, bulletproof plan. And let's be honest, how many junior members of your restaurant staff or bar team are truly equipped to devise a comprehensive solution to a major operational glitch mid-service?
Does "Bring Me Solutions, Not Problems" Really Help Your Restaurant Staff?
Absolutely not. Let me tell you a story. Not one I’m proud of, but one that taught me a lot. We had a new, exciting menu item – a special involving a particular cut of fish – that was flying out the kitchen. Far more popular than we’d anticipated. It was a busy Friday, covers were up, and the atmosphere was electric. Sarah, one of our senior chefs de partie, was on the pass. She was, and still is, one of the most diligent and observant members of my kitchen team. She’d been tracking the fish stock all afternoon, mentally calculating how many more portions we had left.
She realised, about an hour into service, that we were going to run out. Not in an hour, but in about twenty minutes at this rate. A serious problem for a signature dish. She knew what I’d always said: "Bring me solutions." So, instead of coming to me, the owner, straight away, she started racking her brain. Could we substitute? No, not really, it was a unique cut. Could we stretch it? Maybe, but it would compromise quality. Could she call a supplier? On a Friday night? Unlikely.
Sarah, a brilliant and dedicated member of the restaurant staff, felt the weight of that expectation. She didn’t want to bother me with a problem she couldn’t fix herself. So she started to ration, subtly reducing portion sizes, hoping to buy time, hoping a miracle would happen. The stress was palpable, even if hidden. The quality dipped slightly. Eventually, of course, we ran out. Not gracefully, with a polite 'sold out' notice, but abruptly, mid-order for a table of eight, leading to frantic apologies and a very unhappy customer. The kitchen descended into chaos for a few minutes while we scrambled for alternatives. All because a dedicated team member felt she couldn't flag an issue without a pre-baked answer.
Imagine if Sarah had just come to me the moment she spotted the dwindling stock. No solution, just the problem: "Boss, this fish is going way faster than we thought, we'll be out in 20 minutes." My response would have been immediate. We could have put a polite 'last few portions' note on the specials board, or started informing tables before they ordered. We could have managed expectations, perhaps offered a complimentary starter to those who missed out. It wouldn't have been perfect, but it would have been controlled, professional service. The small problem became a big one because the culture I’d inadvertently created told her to keep quiet until she had a magic wand.
How Does This Advice Cripple Your Bar Team's Initiative?
This 'solutions only' mindset doesn't just impact your kitchen; it stifles your bar team too. I've seen it turn lively, engaged bartenders into silent, stressed individuals. Take Mark, our bar manager. He’s one of the most reliable people I know. He sees everything. A new junior bartender, Liam, was struggling with a complex cocktail build – a new addition to the menu. Liam was flustered, the queue was growing, and he was making a mess. He knew he had a problem, but he also knew the unwritten rule: don't just moan, fix it.
So, Liam kept trying, getting more frustrated, making more mistakes, slowing down service even further. He didn't feel he could just say, "I'm really struggling with this new drink, I keep messing it up." He felt he needed to present, "I'm struggling, but I think if we pre-batch the syrup, it'll be faster." Which, for a junior, is a huge cognitive leap under pressure. Mark, being Mark, didn't wait. He stepped in, calmly took over, showed Liam the technique, then let him try again with guidance. Mark didn't demand a solution; he understood the problem and worked with Liam to find one, then and there.
If Mark had adhered to the 'solutions only' rule, Liam would have either continued to flounder, impacting customer experience, or he might have just given up on the drink entirely, removing a menu item through inaction. This advice cripples initiative by making staff fear that identifying a problem is a sign of weakness, rather than a valuable observation. It tells them their perspective isn't enough unless it comes with a fully formed answer, which is often beyond their remit or experience level. It prevents them from feeling they can speak up early, when issues are small and easily fixable.
What Should Venue Owners Do Instead of Demanding Solutions?
It’s simple, really, though it requires a shift in mindset. Instead of demanding solutions, demand honesty and early reporting. Create a culture where bringing a problem to your attention, even without a clear path forward, is seen as a positive act. It means your team is engaged, observant, and trusts you enough to share critical information.
- Encourage immediate reporting: Make it clear that you want to know about any issue, no matter how small, the moment it’s spotted. "I'd rather know now when it's a small fire, than later when it's an inferno."
- Listen, truly listen: When a member of your restaurant staff or bar team comes to you with an issue, don’t immediately jump to 'what’s the fix?'. Start with, "Tell me more. What have you observed?"
- Collaborate on solutions: See problems as shared challenges. "Okay, that's a tricky one. What do you think are our options? What have you tried?" This invites their input without placing the entire burden on them. Sometimes, the solution isn't about what the staff member does, but about a systemic change you, as the owner, need to implement.
- Acknowledge and appreciate: Thank them for bringing it to your attention. "Thanks for spotting that, Sarah. That's really helpful." This reinforces the behaviour you want to see.
- Empower with context, not just tasks: Explain why certain decisions are made. When your team understands the bigger picture, they are better equipped to contribute to problem-solving, even if they don't have the full solution initially.
Can Honest Communication Really Improve Your Hospitality Service?
Absolutely. The benefits are enormous. When your restaurant staff and bar team feel safe to voice concerns, you get real-time intelligence from the front line. Problems are identified earlier, making them easier and cheaper to fix. Stress levels across the venue drop because people aren't carrying the burden of hidden issues. Your team feels valued, trusted, and truly part of the operation, which dramatically improves morale and retention.
This open approach builds a far stronger, more resilient team. Your staff learn from collective problem-solving, seeing how different perspectives contribute to a better outcome. It fosters a sense of shared ownership over the venue's success and its challenges. You stop being the last to know, and start being an active participant in managing the daily ebb and flow of your business. That's how you move from merely surviving busy services to consistently delivering a genuinely polished experience.
So, next time that old 'solutions, not problems' advice pops into your head, squash it. Instead, open the door wide for problems. Invite them in, listen to them, and then work with your brilliant team to tackle them head-on. That’s how you build a robust, successful hospitality business, not by silencing critical information, but by embracing it.