I see this all the time when businesses begin their Lean journey.
The first steps are usually focused on helping individuals and teams improve their own work. They start fixing those frustrating little issues that make the day harder than it needs to be. It's an exciting stage because people finally have permission to solve problems that have annoyed them for years. You see more ownership, more pride in work areas, and a growing belief that things can actually change.
Before long, attention shifts beyond individual tasks to bigger issues that cross teams, departments, and responsibilities.
Paperwork is a classic example.
Managing information, improving data quality, reducing duplication, and creating better verification processes are all common challenges. Ideas start flowing, and that's where things get interesting.
The challenge is that many of those early ideas come from a single perspective. People naturally see the process through the lens of their own role. The bigger picture isn't always clear yet, and that's perfectly normal. At this stage, teams are still learning how to collaborate, understand end-to-end processes, and solve problems together.
This is often where progress hits its first roadblock.
"That won't work because..."
And to be fair, the person saying it may well be right.
But that doesn't necessarily mean the idea should be stopped.
Teams need opportunities to experiment.
As long as an idea isn't going to create serious risk, damage customer relationships, or put the business in danger, let people test it. How else will they learn the discipline of PDCA (Plan, Do, Check, Act)? More importantly, how else will they develop problem-solving capability?
What looks like trial and error is often just learning in action.
For leaders and business owners, it can be incredibly tempting to jump in with a correction, a better solution, or a list of reasons why something won't work. After all, experience tells us what the likely outcome will be.
But sometimes the greater value isn't in being right.
Sometimes the greater value is in creating an environment where people can learn.
When you allow a team to test an idea, two important things happen:
You encourage initiative and empower action.
You create a safe environment for learning and growth.
That's powerful.
In many ways, this aligns with the principles behind the Shingo Model. Organisations that create lasting improvement don't just focus on better processes. They focus on developing people. Lead with Humility and Respect Every Individual aren't just nice concepts, they're practical leadership behaviours. When leaders create space for experimentation, listen to ideas, and support learning rather than immediately providing answers, they help build the capability that drives sustainable improvement.
So the next time you catch yourself about to block an idea, pause.
Take a breath and think about the long-term outcome you're trying to achieve.
Instead of explaining why it won't work, try saying:
"That's an interesting idea. Give it a go, and let's catch up next week to see what we learn."
Then follow through.
Review the outcome together. Reflect on what worked, what didn't, and what could be improved next time. Reinforce the learning, not just the result.
You can always refine an experiment. You can always improve a process.
What you can't do is develop problem-solvers if every idea gets stopped before it has a chance to be tested.
And who knows?
That idea you were about to reject might just become the breakthrough everyone has been looking for.
I've seen that happen more than once.
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