What's the Problem: How to Solve Workplace Issues in a Productive Way

There’s an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm where the main character, Larry David, gives Ted Danson a shirt as a present. Ted notices a hole in the shirt, but Larry says it’s no big deal and would be really easy to fix. Ted says, “If I have to get this fixed, then you haven’t given me a present; you’ve given me a problem. What if I gave you a present and said you have to go to Seattle to pick it up? That’s a problem!”‍

The same goes for reporting issues at work. We often think that bringing up a deficiency or concern is giving supervision a present, and in many ways, it is. You are giving them the gift of knowledge about something that needs improvement. But if no solutions are offered, then it can feel like you just handed them a problem to solve. This is frustrating for leadership because, although you are trying to educate them, they must be in a better position to understand the problem fully.‍

There is a study by the Japanese guidance quality expert, Sidney Yoshida, called “The Iceberg of Ignorance.” He says the higher you are in an organization, the less you know about its problems. Executives, the top of the iceberg, know 4% of the issues, Managers know 9%, Team Leaders know 74%, and Workers, the bulk of the iceberg that sits well below the waterline, know 100% of the problems. So, the higher we pass a problem up the organization, the more we ask it to be solved by the people with the least knowledge about it. This puts Leadership in a frustrating position, and your present is now a problem.‍

To combat this, Leadership tries to push it back down the organization with the old axiom, “Don’t bring me a problem; bring me a solution.” In other words, solve the problem, so all I’m getting is a present. This sounds great: here’s a problem, here’s the solution, and all I need from you is concurrence and a green light to fix it. This empowers the worker and is easy on the leadership, but it doesn’t always work that way. What if the worker has a real problem but doesn’t have a solution and is at a loss? Are you saying you don’t want to hear about the problem unless there is already a solution? Are you comfortable with this ostrich approach? Also, workers already have a lot on their plate. They will quickly learn to say NOTHING if it becomes more work for them every time they say SOMETHING. “Live with it or take on a special project? I’ll just live with it and hope for the best.”‍

This is the constant push-and-pull between workers and leadership: Who will solve the problem? The person with the knowledge or the person with authority?‍

Workers, understand that your present, without a solution, is a frustrating problem for the Leadership who isn’t as informed as you are. You are in the best position to find the correct answer, so try to offer one when you can. And when you can’t, don’t just take the monkey off your back and put it on Leadership. Offer to help solve the problem, not just pass it off.‍

Leaders, don’t shut down communication with the “don’t bring me a problem, bring me a solution” adage. Sometimes the solution isn’t clear to the worker, but the last thing you want them to do is to remain silent because you only want to hear answers. Realize that the worker probably knows more about the problem, so ask for their input, perspective, or suggestions to help you solve it.

It’s an odd dance we do. The Worker with the knowledge doesn’t have the authority. The Leader with authority doesn’t have all the knowledge. How much more could we accomplish if knowledge and authority could work together to solve problems?  Wouldn’t this increased communication and cooperation be a great present to give ourselves? 

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