In every organization, problem-solving is more than an operational requirement—it is a core leadership responsibility. Yet many leaders unintentionally weaken their problem-solving efforts by relying on reports, meetings, and second-hand interpretations instead of firsthand observation. Conversations occur in conference rooms or over video calls. People discuss the problem, but they rarely see the problem.
This pattern leads to shallow analysis, incomplete solutions, and recurring issues that erode performance and consume time and energy.
One lesson continually reinforced through my consulting and coaching work is simple but transformative: meaningful improvement happens when leaders solve problems at the source. Shifting from remote analysis to direct observation fundamentally changes the quality of thinking, the accuracy of diagnosis, and the effectiveness of solutions.
Shortly after a coaching session with the president of an organization, she shared how our discussion reshaped her immediate approach to a problem her team was trying to resolve. They had gathered on Zoom to troubleshoot an operational issue, but early in the conversation, she sensed the limitations of their setting. The team lacked firsthand insight from those directly involved, and they were not in the environment where the problem occurred.
She paused the meeting.
Later, she wrote:
“We tried to do a problem-solving meeting via Zoom this afternoon. Soon into the meeting, I remembered your coaching and realized we could not solve the problem this way.
We paused the meeting because it lacked people who do the work, and we were not in the physical location where the problem occurred to see what contributed to it.
We are rescheduling so we can ‘see with our feet’ in the department where the problem occurred, engaging people who were involved when it happened.”
This was more than a tactical decision. It represented a significant leadership mindset shift—recognizing that real learning requires proximity to the work and direct engagement with the people who perform it. This is the essence of Gemba-based problem solving.
In Lean thinking, Gemba refers to “the actual place”—the place where value is created. Whether the setting is a manufacturing line, a clinical unit, a distribution center, or a service environment, the Gemba is where the facts of the work live.
When problem-solving occurs away from the Gemba, leaders lack essential information. They cannot see the sequence of work, the timing, the flow interruptions, the spatial constraints, or the environmental pressures that contributed to the issue. They miss the subtle but critical details that become visible only through direct observation.
Solving problems at the source allows leaders to:
Frontline employees are often the most underutilized resource in problem-solving. They observe the issues, barriers, delays, and workarounds that leaders might never notice from a distance. They know what actually happened, not what the reports suggest.
Yet too many problem-solving meetings include individuals who were not present during the event. Without firsthand knowledge, teams rely on assumptions, partial information, or speculation. Solutions derived from such discussions rarely fit the real conditions.
Involving frontline employees:
Stopping a meeting that is not productive requires clarity and humility. It is easy to push ahead in the hope that progress will emerge. Yet one of the most powerful leadership actions is the decision to pause, reassess, and create the right conditions for effective problem solving.
Pausing a meeting is not a delay—it is a strategic reset.
It prevents misalignment, poor diagnoses, and wasted time. It ensures that before proceeding, the team has:
Leadership is demonstrated through consistent behaviors, not through slogans or posters about improvement. When leaders regularly go to the Gemba, ask thoughtful questions, and seek to understand the work before reacting, they model the mindset they want their teams to develop.
This includes:
The story the president shared is not simply about one meeting that went off track. It represents a shift toward a system of learning—a way of operating in which the organization continually:
This system begins with one discipline: solving problems at the source.
Readers and search engines commonly connect the following concepts to solving problems at the source:
What the president demonstrated—pausing a virtual meeting, recognizing the need to be present at the source, and involving the people who lived the experience—was a clear example of effective leadership.
In a world increasingly dependent on remote meetings, digital dashboards, and second-hand data, this kind of leadership stands out. It is practical, human, and essential for any organization seeking operational excellence.