They Just Don't Get It!

When workarounds are tolerated, the message is clear: problems don't get solved here. That belief erodes trust, discourages ownership, and normalizes cutting corners. Over time, the culture shifts from solving to surviving. But when leaders spot workarounds, ask why they exist, and fix the root cause, the signal flips. The culture says: problems matter, people's voices are heard, and leadership follows through. That's how trust grows—and how performance follows. The Workaround Walkaround One leadership practice I came to rely on was the workaround walkaround—walking the floor with the specific goal of spotting these patches. At one plant, we found coat hangers propping hoses, cardboard patching machines, wooden shims stabilizing rails, and zip ties holding parts together. We didn't demand immediate removal. As G.K. Chesterton once said, "Don't ever take a fence down until you know why it was put up."

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