A few weeks back I was running my weed eater through what turned out to be a whole bunch of poison ivy. And, while that in itself could be enough of a lesson to share with you today, I’m going to pass along something else I learned while I was cleaning up that ditch.
As I was depositing itch oil on my arms, I was putting something helpful in my ears. (Thankfully!)
I was listening to an episode of The Nathan Barry Show and Bryan Harris, founder of Growth Tools, told a story that got my attention.
He was recommending a book called Stop Guessing by Nat Greene and sharing one of the examples Greene uses to teach problem solving.
The story has stuck with me since then. So has the itching on my arms.
A $15 Million Problem
A paper products manufacturer had a problem.
A big one.
Their marketing team had introduced a new product that customers loved, and demand took off.
Unfortunately, production couldn’t keep up.
The bottleneck was a packaging machine.
Whenever operators tried to increase the machine speed beyond a certain point, everything went wrong. Packages tore. Product flew off the line. Production slowed to a crawl.
As I’m listening to this story, it sounds very familiar. I’ve been a part of more than a few situations that involved chasing an elusive problem that wasn’t exposed until we ramped up production rates.
Just like we did, that company was trying everything they could think of to keep customer shipments flowing.
They were running extra shifts.
People were working overtime.
Engineers were involved.
Consultants were hired.
Cross-functional teams were formed.
Expensive solutions were being proposed.
Some of the recommendations would have required significant modifications to the facility and millions of dollars of investment.
Everyone was focused on solving what appeared to be a highly complex problem.
Then one night, a maintenance technician did something simple.
He positioned himself so he could look down into the machine from the top.
And he watched it run.
Not at its normal operating speed.
At full speed.
As he watched, he noticed something moving inside.
Eventually, he shut the machine down, removed a panel, reached inside, and pulled out a small bolt.
That’s it.
A bolt.
Somehow it had found its way into the machine.
At lower speeds, it caused no issues.
At higher speeds, it would catch the packaging material and create chaos.
The company was preparing for a multi-million-dollar solution.
The actual problem was a bolt that cost less than a dollar.
One phrase from Nat Greene’s book stood out to me:
“Refuse complex solutions.”
The More I Thought About It…
The more I reflected on that story, the more it reminded me of leadership.
Because most leadership problems don’t arrive labeled with their root cause.
They show up as symptoms.
A leader tells me:
“We have communication problems.”
Another says:
“My team isn’t taking enough ownership.”
Someone else says:
“I’m involved in too many decisions.”
Or:
“People keep bringing me problems they should be able to solve themselves.”
Those problems are real.
The frustration is real.
The consequences are real.
But I’ve become increasingly convinced that many of those challenges are symptoms rather than root causes.
Finding the Bolt
One of the themes I’ve noticed in my conversations with business leaders is that we often jump to solutions before we truly understand the problem.
I’ve done it myself.
We change processes.
Redesign meetings.
Add more structure.
Implement new reporting systems.
Create accountability mechanisms.
Invest in better technology and tools.
And sometimes those things help.
But sometimes we’re spending thousands of dollars, hundreds of hours, and enormous amounts of energy trying to solve a 50-cent problem.
What I’ve observed is that many leadership challenges stem from something deeper.
In my experience, one of the most common root causes is surprisingly simple.
The leader has not yet learned how to consistently develop people and build ownership.
It’s not because they’re bad leaders and it’s rarely because they don’t care.
Usually, they’re struggling because no one taught them how.
Most leaders were promoted because they were good at solving problems.
Not because they were experts at developing others.
So they continue doing what made them successful.
They answer questions.
Solve problems.
Make decisions.
Rescue projects.
Step in when things get uncomfortable.
And over time, their team becomes increasingly dependent on them.
The leader becomes the bottleneck.
Not intentionally.
But predictably.
A Better Question
The maintenance technician in Nat Greene’s story didn’t start with a solution.
He started with observation.
He got curious.
He slowed down long enough to understand what was actually happening.
As leaders, we can do the same thing when it comes to developing our people.
Instead of immediately asking:
“How do I solve this?”
Perhaps we should first ask:
“What is really causing this?”
That’s often where clarity begins.
You’ll often discover you’re missing important information about the people on your team.
Maybe it’s a strength you haven’t recognized.
Maybe it’s a frustration that’s draining someone’s energy.
Maybe it’s a lack of confidence that’s causing a capable employee to avoid ownership.
Maybe it’s a misunderstanding between two team members that’s creating friction for everyone around them.
Whatever it is, you’ll never find it if you jump straight to solutions.
Just like the maintenance technician in Nat Greene’s story, leaders need to slow down long enough to understand what’s actually happening before they start fixing things.
When we take time to observe and pay attention to what’s happening at a deeper level with our people, we’re in a much better position to help them develop and grow.
Before you invest your energy solving the visible problem this week, spend a few minutes looking for the bolt.
You might discover that the real issue is much smaller, much simpler, and much more important than you first imagined.
Helping you lead with clarity and confidence,
Greg
P.S. If you’re wrestling with a challenge in your business and aren’t sure whether you’re looking at the real problem or just a symptom, I’d be happy to help.
A Complimentary Clarity Coaching Session gives us 45 minutes to talk through what’s going on, explore possible root causes, and identify a practical next step.
You can schedule one here: GregHarrod.com/schedule.
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Greg Harrod
Greg Harrod is a Business Coach and Strategic Communications Partner. Follow GregHarrod.com to learn how you can build clear communication, aligned teams, and simple rhythms so your business runs smoothly. Greg will help you learn how to go from daily firefighting to calm, confident leadership by sharing his 30+ years of experience leading teams and businesses.
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