When something goes wrong around a leader, even if it is a simple scheduling problem, or confusion about a speaking engagement etc., the leader must ask penetrating questions. If the leader is not careful, this will feel to the team like they are being policed, or worse, being accused.
The leader needs to make certain that he is thinking deeper than the existing problem; he should always get to the process beneath it. Was it a simple error on the part of his team or a flaw in the underlying process? This kind of questioning leads to a self-optimizing organization.
As leaders, we must be careful that in pursuing these improvements, we don’t send the wrong message to our team. People are more important than process.
