Bring your boss options, not problems. Your boss has plenty of problems. Don't add to the collection. When you bring options, you also get the chance to influence the direction of the company. One problem at a time.
That puzzles me because it's pretty conventional, "bookish" advice. It's the sort of advice you're likely to hear in any business-related course, book or blog. Try googling ' "your boss" options OR solutions "not problems" '.
I'm not saying that it's bad advice, but it's only a start, and it can fail you in many, many ways.
Edit: I realize my comment wasn't very constructive so here are some examples.
1) your girlfriend has gained weight. Instead of just telling her that straight out -- which is usually a bad idea, of course -- some people think it's a good idea to offer her "options", like offering to eat healthier with her or doing exercise together. But this won't fool your girlfriend. You're still telling her that she's fat and she very likely won't be happy about it.
Often your boss won't be happy to hear you pointing out problems no matter how good your solutions are.
Also, when you point out problems you might make other people or teams look bad, especially if your solutions are good.
2) Your boss might be a "sociopath" (not literally) and will use your "options" against you.
The Gervais Principle is an awesome read, and I might even be convinced that it applies to a majority of workplaces, but that whole dynamic is one thing that people who work at startups are actively avoiding. I'm not saying it doesn't happen in startups, but it doesn't happen in successful startups (at least until >50 employees or so).
Also, fwiw, I wouldn't classify the Gervais Principle as street smarts. It's more like a parallel "bureaucracy smarts" that only makes sense in an artifically controlled environment like a large company. Whereas true street smarts are the kinds of things that would serve a street hustler just as well as an entrepreneur because they are applicable to all uncontrolled human interactions.
You make two very good points. I basically agree with everything you say above. I just have to point out that my comment wasn't intended to be an example of "street smarts" itself, but rather challenge that the grandparent post was so.
You would be surprised how many employees come to their boss with only problems. I can tell you from experience that it is exhausting. Having some options to discuss also shows that you have given more the a cursory look at the problem.
"Often your boss won't be happy to hear you pointing out problems no matter how good your solutions are.
Also, when you point out problems you might make other people or teams look bad, especially if your solutions are good."
There is a some thought that has to go behind problem selection. Going out of one's way to find problems usually doesn't help.
Fortunately, where I work, the problems present themselves as a pain point for my bosses, which I can then offer and implement solutions. It's really the same as listening to or observing a customer and providing a solution for them.
Totally true, My boss keeps telling me that, "Don't come to me with Problems, Come to me with Solutions" and I think this really is a good advice, but I don't how it makes you streetsmart.
>"Don't come to me with Problems, Come to me with Solutions"
Isn't that just "don't make me work, do the work for me even if you duplicate effort when I (with my experience) could cut through to the solution I'll choose".