The chairman of TATA Steel was holding a weekly meeting with Tata Steel staff in Jamshedpur.
A worker took up a serious issue. He said the quality and hygiene of toilets for the workers were very bad. Whereas, he pointed out, the cleanliness and the hygiene of executive toilets were always very good.
The chairman asked his top executive how much time he needs to set it right. The executive asked for a month to set it right.
The chairman said “I would rather do it in a day. Send me a carpenter.”
Next day, when the carpenter came, he ordered the sign boards to be swapped.
The sign board on the workers’ toilet displayed “Executives” and the executives’ toilet displayed “Workers”.
The chairman then instructed this sign to be changed every fortnight.
The quality of both the toilets came at par in the next three days.
Leaders listen with lots of patience and give solutions without wasting time.
Problem identification requires critical thinking. But solutions require creative thinking.