Inspired by a conversation that happened at the corner of #Globalleanconference…
Why do we have a negative image of “Problem”?
In Japanese, we write “Problem” as “Mondai.” 【問題】
The first symbol, 【問】means to ask. This symbol contains gate 【門】 and mouth 【口】. Therefore, this symbol means to knock on the gate to ask questions. In Confucianism, the Nobleman 【君子】 practices 【問】 to divide the students—our word for academics 【学問】comes from this episode of Confucianism.
The second symbol, 【題】, means the subject, theme, or title. On the left side, 【是】means the correct decision or direction. 【頁】 means head or page.
There is nothing negative about these symbols.
And “Mondai 【問題】” in Japanese dictionary will be;
1️⃣ Question in search of an answer
2️⃣ Subject of criticism, debate, or research
3️⃣ Subject of attention
4️⃣ Main theme of a story
5️⃣ Annoying matters
As we can see, something negative is typically listed at the bottom, which is usually a new meaning. Also, in Zen, a master giving a question is called “Montai 【問対】,” which is close to the word “Mondai 【問題】.” This is a form of coaching, not accusing or anything harmful.
On the other hand, how about “problem” in the West? “Problem” originates from the Greek word “problēma,” which means “a task, that which is proposed, a question.” Pro—" means “Forward,” and “blem” means “to throw, reach.” There is Nothing negative at the beginning, but it started to include the nuance of “difficulty” later.
In other words, the meaning of “problem” was nothing harmful in the East or West at the beginning. Both were some positive questions. In the East, the teachers and students exchange “problems at the schools of Confucianism.” Or Zen monks meditating with “Problems.” In the West, Greek geometers worked on “Problems.” “Problems” were the entry to humanity.
Then, we started to develop some negative biases or nuances.
Those negative nuances that I see a lot today are;
“Oh, I don’t need to work on problem-solving today. (Celebration)”
“Can I work this problem with someone (so I can free ride)?
“My responsibility is to delegate problems left and right (@uality manager).”
“Why do we need to do more than X amount of problem-solving?”
Why are we so negatively sabotaging procrastination about problem-solving?
Here are some possible causes;
💥 At school, we were uniformly pushed on problems without understanding student’s needs. Also, we got used to problems with one correct answer, not try-and-errors.
💥 Many have used problems to punish.
💥 There are too many complicated tools and formats. They often criticize based on cleanliness or decorations, not logic.
💥 Problems are complex or too difficult.
💥 No time.
💥 Simply lazy.
Whatever the reasons, this is a management problem. Don’t punish someone for problems. Focus on the logic of problem-solving, not the tools. Assign appropriate problems to a proper person. Escalate the problem if it is complex or too difficult. Understand that everyone needs time to work on problems. Help people to prioritize problem-solving and other duties. Don’t accept free riders and excuses for not working on problems.
This does not mean we must live with the same problem repeatedly. That condition is disrespectful to humans. Nobody wants to fight with the same issues over and over again. That is mentally and physically fatiguing. Problems should be highlighted and acknowledged. Stop if necessary. Don’t rely on allowances and safety stocks since those will force people to live with the same problems forever. All problems must be solved at the appropriate level.
So, don’t be pessimistic about “Problems.” If they are too much or complicated, pull the Andon and get help. Senior managers should welcome those issues. Positive attitudes to problems will open the pathway to solutions. “Thank you for highlighting this interesting problem. Solving this will make us better. And, what do you think?”
And, as the “Problem” of the East, what is the question and/or the theme of the day? What are you trying to solve and learn? Without such a “Problem,” we might be wasting our day. Taiichi Ohno said, “Having no problem is the biggest problem.” I will add that’s because it is the worst form of disrespect to humanity.