Lean leadership isn't just about asking people how to fix problems–it's about asking them what problems matter most. When leaders shift from telling to asking, they unlock intrinsic motivation, deeper engagement, and more sustainable improvement. This lesson came through clearly during my recent work with Franciscan Health and their Kaizen efforts.
We had a great time at Franciscan St. Francis Health this week. We had the “Kaizen Live!” class and workshop Monday through Wednesday. Yesterday, I got to spend the day with Joe Swartz and his “Franciscan Transformation” team from across the system.
There are so many great lessons to share from that time.
Why “Asking, Not Telling” Matters in Lean Leadership
One that I'll share here is the idea of “asking versus telling.”
It's becoming more common knowledge in the Lean community that leaders (or Lean coaches) should avoid giving people answers. Instead of telling people how to solve problems (as if we really know), we need to ask the people who do the work to:
- Brainstorm countermeasures or improvements
- Test possible improvements
- Evaluate things to see if it's really better
The role of a leader is to help. To coach. To facilitate.
As John Shook from LEI says, giving somebody else answers “robs them” of the chance to learn, develop, and grow.
So, we have leaders who are getting better about asking employees for ideas, instead of telling them how to fix things.
Asking for Solutions vs. Asking What Problems Matter
But, we still have the issue of deciding WHAT to fix.
Why Telling People What to Fix Undermines Engagement
Too many leaders still try to tell people what problems to solve in a top-down, almost dictatorial way. I'll tell you what to fix and you tell me how to fix it. That's better than the manager dictating everything.
But, when we tell people what to fix, maybe we rob them of their ability to figure out what needs fixing or improving. Are we stifling their development somewhat?
Kaizen, Intrinsic Motivation, and Sustainable Improvement
One common theme at Franciscan, through Kaizen and other Lean efforts, is the time spent asking employees what needs to be fixed. That taps into intrinsic motivation. That, along with time spent building relationships (another key theme at Franciscan), means that improvement probably goes more slowly at first… but then it actually moves along better… and improvements are more sustainable.
When I've asked client teams, “What do we need to fix?”, the answers the front line employees come up with tend to be very close to what management would have come up with anyway. Sure, management has a role in setting direction and goals… communication the mission, vision, values, and goals of the organization. But, the discussion is better when it's more collaborative instead of just top-down. It requires two-way communication.
Engagement First, Alignment Follows
This is an old lesson from Masaaki Imai… the idea of starting to engage employees by letting them work on what they want to work on, saying “yes” to ideas as often as you can (or working together to find an alternative that works). Then, over time, you can teach better problem solving skills AND work on getting better alignment to organizational goals.
If you start with engagement and participation, alignment can follow. If you try to force alignment too much at the start, you might not get engagement and participation.
The Two Questions Lean Leaders Should Ask Every Day
Again, the key questions are:
- What do we need to fix?
- How do you think we could fix it?
Those are very important questions…. asking, not telling. And it means asking honest questions, not manipulating employees to do what you want.
This was also a key theme that I saw when I visited Cleveland Clinic back in December… and I still need to write about that.
What do you see happening in your organization? In your own work?
What This Still Teaches Us About Leadership in 2026
At its core, Lean leadership isn't about having the best answers–it's about asking the best questions. When leaders focus only on telling people what to do or what to fix, they may get short-term compliance, but they miss the deeper opportunity to build capability, ownership, and trust.
Asking people what problems matter to them–and listening with genuine curiosity–creates learning on both sides. It strengthens relationships, taps intrinsic motivation, and surfaces issues that leaders might never see from a distance. Over time, this approach doesn't slow improvement down; it accelerates it and makes it more sustainable.
This mindset also connects directly to a theme I explore more deeply in The Mistakes That Make Us: learning happens when people feel safe to speak up, experiment, and reflect–without fear of blame. Asking instead of telling is one of the simplest, most powerful ways leaders can create that environment.
So the challenge remains the same in 2026 as it was years ago:
Are we willing to ask honest questions–and accept answers we didn't expect?
Please scroll down (or click) to post a comment. Connect with me on LinkedIn.
If you’re working to build a culture where people feel safe to speak up, solve problems, and improve every day, I’d be glad to help. Let’s talk about how to strengthen Psychological Safety and Continuous Improvement in your organization.
