CEOs, senior executives, and directors responsible for strategic direction, long-term sustainability, and organizational culture.
Executives and senior leaders hold the responsibility of steering their organizations toward long-term success, but many businesses struggle with problem-solving at a systemic level.
Instead of tackling the root causes, they engage in continuous firefighting, applying short-term fixes that never truly solve the problem.
Jorge Loebl, in the Revolving Change podcast, highlights how many companies fall into this trap:
“Unfortunately, too often, we’re putting band-aids on problems and not getting to the real cause, the source of the problem. And if the company doesn’t have the culture of involving people in problem-solving, then your problem-solving will be a band-aid collection.”
The challenge for executives is twofold:
- They must balance immediate business pressures (quarterly targets, stakeholder demands, and operational efficiency) with the need for sustainable problem-solving.
- They need to embed problem-solving into the company’s culture rather than relying on a select few to handle crises.
This guide shows how executives can create lasting change using our Discover, Design, Deliver (3‑D) process to build a resilient, innovative problem-solving culture.
Why Problem-Solving Starts—and Stops—with Leadership
Executives set the tone for problem-solving.
If leadership focuses solely on bottom-line metrics without addressing how problems are solved, teams will prioritize short-term solutions over sustainable improvements.
Jorge Loebl explains this disconnect:
“At the end of the day, the bottom line is king. If you make no money in business, companies need to produce results. But if leadership doesn't drive problem-solving from the top, then employees end up firefighting rather than preventing problems.”
Key Responsibilities for Executives in Problem-Solving
- Define the Vision for Problem-Solving
Executives must set clear expectations that proactive problem-solving is a priority, not just a side task. - Ensure Cross-Departmental Collaboration
Loebl highlights that problems often cross functional areas:
“Many of the problems often are further reaching. What is the easy and the most effective way to deal with it? Put a band-aid. Don’t cross boundaries. Don’t talk to your peer. Just put your head down and get your stuff done.”
Instead of allowing silos to persist, executives must break down departmental barriers and foster cross-functional problem-solving teams.
- Empower Managers to Take Initiative
A major issue in many companies is that employees fear taking initiative because it often leads to additional workload without recognition.
Loebl refers to this as “punishing performance,” where high performers are given more work while underperformers escape scrutiny.
“Because you’re a great performer, you’re doing great, instead of confronting the low performers and getting them to perform better, it’s much easier to just give more work to the one who’s delivering. But that’s not leadership—that’s avoidance.”
Executives must reward proactive problem-solving instead of discouraging it by overloading top performers.
Structure Problem-Solving So It Outlives the Crisis
Executives should not only support problem-solving efforts but institutionalize them through structured processes, systems, and incentives.
Discover: Diagnose the Culture Behind the Crisis
A formalized process ensures that issues are documented, analyzed, and solved at the right level.
Key Practices:
- Implement “Action Needed” Programs where employees can submit process inefficiencies and improvement opportunities
- Ensure psychological safety so employees feel comfortable raising concerns without fear of repercussions
Loebl describes how companies without these systems fall into reactive cycles:
“One of the first things we find when we get to a corporation and do our assessment is that managers spend a huge percentage of their time firefighting. That means there is no problem-solving culture, or no clear culture to help them overcome that on a consistent basis.”
Design: Architect a Scalable System for Solutions
Executives must design sustainable frameworks that work beyond temporary patches.
Build the System by:
- Making problem-solving a leadership responsibility
- Hold executives accountable for fostering a culture of continuous improvement
- Include problem-solving metrics in leadership performance evaluations
- Train senior leaders in structured problem-solving methodologies
- Measuring what matters
- Problem Resolution Time (how quickly problems are solved)
- Recurrence Rate (whether the same issues keep appearing)
- Employee Engagement in Problem-Solving (are employees proactively contributing solutions?)
Loebl explains why measurement is essential:
“We are absolutely passionate about measuring everything that we do. Problem-solving should be measurable. Companies should know how much effort they’re putting into problem-solving, and what is the return they’re getting on investment.”
Deliver: Lead the Shift from Firefighting to Innovation
Embedding problem-solving into company culture requires deliberate action from leadership.
Ways Executives Can Lead the Shift:
- Reward Initiative and Innovation
Executives must recognize and reward employees who:- Raise concerns proactively
- Solve problems cross-functionally
- Apply structured problem-solving techniques
- Provide Continuous Training
Invest in:- Training for managers and employees on problem-solving frameworks
- Workshops on cross-departmental collaboration
- Coaching on feedback and communication
- Lead by Example
Executives must actively participate in problem-solving discussions instead of delegating them entirely to middle management.
Loebl emphasizes that company culture is built from the top down:
“If you have a culture where problem-solving is people-oriented but also results-oriented, top-level leadership must push for results while bringing people along, coaching them, and monitoring teamwork.”
We Problem Solve for Future Success
Executives play a critical role in driving a company-wide culture of problem-solving.
By embedding structured problem-solving processes, fostering cross-functional collaboration, and ensuring problem-solving is measurable, leaders can eliminate firefighting and create long-term business resilience.
Key Takeaways:
- Problem-solving must be driven from the top down
- Executives must balance technical problem-solving with leadership-driven cultural change
- Structured processes must replace informal, reactive approaches
- Organizations must measure and reward proactive problem-solving efforts
Want to Build a Culture That Solves, Not Stalls?
Your leadership shapes how your organization solves problems. If you’re ready to move from tactical patchwork to strategic transformation, join any of our Memberships to address your executive challenges.