In a recent LinkedIn post, Jill Avey shares a compelling anecdote about how a simple reframing of a question led to a significant breakthrough for a professional services firm. Avey highlights the experience of Jenn, a Director of Operations, who initially struggled to identify a strategic project because her focus was solely on her own career advancement. Avey details how Jenn, who is described as the firm’s ‘company problem solver,’ found herself at an impasse when asked to pick a strategic project.
Avey recounts the pivotal moment when she redirected Jenn’s thinking. Instead of asking about strategic projects, Avey posed a different question: “What is the firm’s biggest problem?” This shift in perspective, according to Avey, was transformative.
“She told me later that single reframe opened the whole thing up.”
This reframing allowed Jenn to move beyond her personal career goals and identify a critical issue affecting the entire organization. The problem, as it turned out, was growth, and the solution was intrinsically linked to how work was distributed within the firm.
Addressing Systemic Issues in Work Allocation
Jill Avey explains that Jenn’s subsequent project focused on rebuilding a flawed system of work allocation that had been in place for years. This system, Avey outlines, suffered from several key issues:
- The same individuals were consistently overloaded, leading to potential burnout.
- Other employees were frequently overlooked, hindering their development and engagement.
- These habitual practices were negatively impacting the firm’s bottom line.
Jenn’s approach was decisive. Avey quotes Jenn directly on the implementation:
“We ripped off the band-aid.”
This bold move involved implementing a new system designed to bring clarity and fairness to workload distribution. The new system introduced several key changes:
- Workloads became visible across the team.
- Assignments shifted from a ‘favorites’ system to one based on ‘fit’ for the task.
- Overlooked employees were provided with training and mentorship from partners, creating a clear path for their advancement.
Quantifiable Results and Personal Impact
The impact of Jenn’s project, as reported by Avey, was significant and measurable. The firm experienced a substantial increase in visibility regarding ongoing operations and saw a dramatic improvement in profitability.
“So much more visibility into what is happening. The profitability curve has changed exponentially.”
Beyond the organizational benefits, Avey emphasizes the personal impact for Jenn, which she considers the most crucial outcome. Jenn was able to demonstrate her impact in real-time, moving beyond mere claims to concrete, observable results.
“I was able to show that in real time.”
Avey concludes her post by directing readers to a podcast episode where the full conversation with Jenn is discussed, underscoring the value of identifying and solving core business problems through strategic reframing.
📝 About This Content
This article is based on insights shared by Jill Avey on LinkedIn.
📅 Originally posted on August 13, 2026 | View original post on LinkedIn →