Developing People into Problem Solvers

Many organizations today struggle with high turnover, difficulty retaining talent, and constant firefighting. Day after day, leaders and teams are consumed by urgent issues, leaving little or no time to focus on solving problems in a structured way. This is not a local issue; it is a global challenge.

Lean offers a path forward. But Lean is not just a set of tools; it is a culture, and at its core, Lean is about people. Without people, there is no Lean. That is why the most critical work any organization can do is to develop its people every single day, helping them succeed, grow, and contribute as problem solvers.

The question is, how do we actually do this? Over the years, I have found that following the five key steps gives organizations the best chance of success.

Step 1: Build Awareness and Observation Skills

The first responsibility of leaders is to help staff see problems. This is a skill that can be taught.

• Introduce 5S (Workplace Organization). If 5S is not in place, the rest of Lean cannot take root.

• Train all employees to recognize the eight wastes in any process.

• Encourage daily Gemba Walks, where staff observe their work areas, spot waste, and begin addressing it.

• Use visual management and meaningful metrics to make problems visible in real time.

When people can see problems clearly, they are equipped to take the next step.

Step 2: Introduce Structured Thinking

Once staff can see problems, they need to know how to approach them.

• Teach the PDCA (Plan Do Check Act) cycle to guide small, practical experiments.

• Use the 5 Whys method to dig beneath symptoms and uncover root causes.

• Practice with Fishbone Diagrams to categorize and better understand the sources of problems.

This step shifts problem-solving away from guesswork and toward facts.

Step 3: Practice in Real Situations

Problem-solving skills grow only through practice.

• Involve staff in Kaizen Events and improvement projects.

• Guide them through writing their first A3 report on a problem that matters to them.

• After each improvement, reflect together: What did we learn? How can we apply this again?

With practice, staff become scientific thinkers, people who solve problems based on evidence, not assumptions.

Step 4: Develop Coaching and Team Skills

Problem-solving is not an individual sport; it is a team effort.

• Build a culture where problems are viewed as opportunities, not failures.

• Introduce Kata Coaching to develop scientific thinking habits, especially for supervisors and team leaders.

• Establish Leader Standard Work (LSW) to ensure essential routines are followed consistently.

• Encourage peer-to-peer learning through A3 presentations and Kaizen report-outs.

These practices reinforce learning and create a shared culture of improvement.

Step 5: Sustain and Expand

Finally, organizations must sustain progress and connect problem-solving to strategy.

• Frame major issues in the A3 format and update regularly.

• Link problems directly to organizational goals and long-term vision.

• Make problem-solving a daily habit, embedded into leader standard work.

When sustained, problem-solving becomes second nature, not an occasional activity.

Why This Matters

These five steps are the foundation of our Lean Practitioner Program, where candidates are trained and certified as problem solvers, coaches, and Lean leaders. We use them because they work.

Why do successful companies stand out? Why are they so hard to compete with? The answer is simple: They dedicate time and resources to developing their people every day, and they involve everyone in solving problems that matter.

If you want your organization to thrive, start here: develop your people into problem solvers. When you do, you will build not just a stronger company but a culture that can adapt, improve, and succeed for the long term.

---