Coaching for Leaders 754: Five Steps to Solve a Problem, with Monica Chartier
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Oct 18, 2025 
In this insightful discussion, Monica Chartier, a seasoned group product manager and Coaching for Leaders Fellow, shares her expertise in using design thinking to solve organizational challenges. She outlines a five-step process: starting with empathy through intentional listening, defining the real problem, co-creating testable ideas, prototyping small experiments, and cultivating an iterative leadership habit. Monica emphasizes the importance of user involvement and continuous adaptation, making problem-solving a dynamic and collaborative process.
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Center Solutions On The People Affected
- Design thinking centers solutions on the people you affect, not the leader's assumptions.
- Bringing users into problem solving raises quality and buy-in for the outcome.
A Single Question Sparked The Project
- Monica described finishing her academy year and asking "so what's next?" which started the conversation with Dave.
- That simple question launched a collaboration to explore post-academy options for members.
Validate The Problem With User Data
- Gather data from a broad set of users before committing to a single solution direction.
- Use surveys and interviews to clarify the problem statement you should solve.
