How many Problems Do You Have?

Mastering Problem-Solving: Five Capabilities Every Organization Needs

One of my favorite hobbies—and professional passions—is solving problems and teaching others how to solve problems effectively. At first glance, it sounds simple, but in practice, true problem-solving is both a mindset and a capability that must be cultivated across an organization.

The first step is understanding what a problem truly is. A problem exists when there is a gap between an actual condition and a standard. Without a standard, there is no problem… which might just be the biggest problem of all.

When organizations lack clear standards, people work from assumptions. Workarounds become the norm. Firefighting replaces improvement. Problems appear invisible until they explode into crises.

To become highly effective in problem-solving, five key capabilities must be developed. Each builds on the others, creating a robust system that transforms challenges into learning and improvement.

1. The Capability to SEE Problems

The first capability is the ability to see problems clearly. This is harder than it sounds. Problems often hide in plain sight, disguised as normal variations, inefficiencies, or workarounds that have become routine.

To see problems, you need standards. Without standards, nothing is out of the ordinary—everything is just “how things are done.” Standards create a baseline, a reference point that makes deviations visible.

Key behaviors for seeing problems:

• Observe flow: Walk the gemba (the actual work area). Look for interruptions, delays, or errors. Ask, “Is this how it should be?”
• Track metrics: Use leading and lagging indicators to detect variances before they escalate.
• Engage frontline staff: People closest to the work often see subtle disruptions that are invisible to leadership.

Example: In a manufacturing plant, a team noticed that some machines frequently stopped during changeovers. At first, the stops were treated as normal downtime. By establishing a standard setup time and comparing actual performance, the team realized these interruptions were a problem—and the first step toward solving them.

When you see problems clearly, you can no longer ignore them. But seeing alone is not enough.

2. The Capability to ELEVATE Problems

The second capability is the ability to elevate problems effectively. Not all problems can be solved immediately at the frontline level. Some require resources, authority, or cross-functional collaboration. Elevation ensures the right people see the right problem at the right time.

Key elements of effective problem elevation:

• A defined escalation system: Everyone must know where to go when a problem exceeds their authority. This could be tiered management, escalation boards, or digital tools.
• Psychological safety: Workers must feel safe raising issues without fear of blame or reprisal.
• Prioritization: Not all problems are equal. Elevation includes identifying which problems have the most impact.

Example: In a hospital, nurses noticed recurring delays in lab results affecting patient care. They reported the problem daily, but nothing changed. When the escalation pathway was clarified—routing issues directly to a cross-functional operations team—the problem was addressed, reducing delays and improving patient outcomes.

A culture where problems can be safely elevated ensures they do not simmer under the surface, waiting to become crises.

3. The Capability to SOLVE Problems

The third capability is the ability to solve problems effectively. Seeing and elevating a problem is meaningless without a structured approach to resolution.

Effective problem-solving relies on scientific thinking and a clear methodology:

• Identify the root cause: Ask “why” repeatedly (e.g., 5 Whys) or use tools like Ishikawa diagrams to understand the underlying factors.
• Develop countermeasures: Design solutions that prevent recurrence, not just temporary fixes.
• Validate countermeasures: Test changes to ensure they actually solve the problem and are sustainable.
• Standardize: Once proven effective, update the standard to make the improvement permanent.

Example: A consumer electronics plant experienced frequent defects in a critical assembly step. By analyzing the process scientifically, the team identified that inconsistent torque settings caused most failures. They implemented a standardized torque process, validated it with measurements, and updated work instructions. Defects dropped 80% within three weeks.

Problem-solving is not guesswork. It requires discipline, rigor, and follow-through.

4. The Capability to SHARE Learning

The fourth capability is the ability to share learning from problem-solving. Each solved problem contains knowledge that can benefit the larger organization. Without sharing, every team reinvents the wheel, repeating mistakes others have already solved.

Key elements of sharing learning:

• Document solutions: Record root cause, countermeasures, and results.
• Disseminate insights: Use visual boards, huddles, newsletters, or digital platforms to share what was learned.
• Apply systemically: Encourage other teams to adapt lessons to their context.

Example: In a hospital, one unit solved a recurring scheduling conflict that caused delays in patient care. By sharing the solution across the organization, similar conflicts were resolved proactively in other units before they impacted patients.

Sharing learning transforms problem-solving from a local fix into a learning organization, building collective capability.

5. The Capability to COACH Others

The fifth and final capability is the ability to coach others to see, elevate, solve, and share problems. Leaders play a critical role in developing problem-solving skills across the enterprise. Without coaching, problem-solving remains siloed, dependent on a few highly skilled individuals.

Key behaviors for coaching:

• Observe and guide: Spend time on the gemba, asking questions and providing guidance rather than directives.
• Ask questions, don’t give answers: Encourage teams to discover root causes themselves.
• Reinforce standards and methods: Ensure scientific thinking and proper documentation are consistently applied.
• Celebrate learning: Recognize teams for solving problems and sharing insights, not just for output metrics.

Example: A production supervisor noticed a junior operator struggling to analyze recurring equipment errors. Instead of taking over, the supervisor walked through the process, asking guided questions, and encouraged the operator to test hypotheses. Over time, the operator became confident and independently solved similar issues, amplifying the organization’s problem-solving capacity.

When leaders coach effectively, the entire enterprise becomes a learning organization, capable of adapting and improving continuously.

Putting It All Together

These five capabilities—See, Elevate, Solve, Share, Coach—create a system for sustainable problem-solving:

1. SEE problems → standards reveal gaps.
2. ELEVATE problems → ensure the right people address the right problems.
3. SOLVE problems → apply scientific thinking and standardization.
4. SHARE learning → spread knowledge across the organization.
5. COACH others → develop a culture of problem-solving capability.

The result is an organization where problems no longer linger unnoticed, solutions are sustainable, knowledge is distributed, and continuous improvement is ingrained in the culture.

Example in Practice:

• A manufacturer implemented this five-capability framework across multiple plants. Within six months:
  • Safety incidents decreased 25%
  • Product defects dropped 40%
  • Average time to solve elevated problems fell by 50%
  • Operators began proactively identifying improvement ideas weekly

The power of this system lies not just in metrics—but in mindset change. Employees feel empowered. Leaders feel confident. Problems become opportunities.

Reflection for Leaders

Ask yourself:

• Are standards clearly defined at your frontline?
• Do employees feel safe to elevate issues without fear?
• Are your problem-solving methods rigorous and applied consistently?
• Is knowledge from solved problems shared broadly across your organization?
• Are you actively coaching and developing others as problem solvers?

If the answer is “no” to any of these questions, your problem-solving system has gaps. And those gaps are where inefficiency, frustration, and risk live.

Final Thought

Problem-solving is a skill—but more importantly, it’s a capability that must be embedded systemically. Organizations that invest in developing these five capabilities see problems not as obstacles, but as opportunities for learning, growth, and improvement.

Without standards, there is no problem. Without problem-solving capabilities, there is no progress. But with SEE, ELEVATE, SOLVE, SHARE, and COACH, your organization becomes resilient, adaptive, and continuously improving.

The next time you encounter a gap between the actual and the ideal, ask yourself:

• Can I see the problem?
• Should I elevate it?
• How can we solve it sustainably?
• How will we share this learning?
• How am I coaching others to do the same?

Master these five capabilities, and you’ll not only solve problems—you’ll transform your organization into a learning powerhouse.