BLUF: “if you verbally identify a problem without offering a solution and being prepared to lead its implementation, you’re just whining; and the time for whining has passed”

A few decades ago I was a “broken-restaurant-fixer” for Denny’s. I would take over management of unprofitable Denny’s corporate restaurants and identify problems and fix them. I had done this in other restaurants before, but this is where I learned to stop carrying the full load and became even more successful. (I took over a store that was losing $17K per week and within 8 months it was making $18K per week in profits and continuing with a process of persistent process improvement.)

Each store was designed to run profitably with one general manager and 2 assistant managers along with a full complement of various hourly employees with various responsibilities. This particular store had trouble keeping 3 managers as one would quit as soon as they would get a third one hired. When I was sent to help out they had a GM and an assistant, but the day I arrived the assistant quit. Then the GM quit within a couple of weeks, so I had the job of fixing the problems and doing the work of 3 managers. I was young and had experience working over 130 hrs/week for extended periods, but I knew I needed to enlist a lot of help from the already beaten down staff if I were to fix the mess that this store had become.

I started by having paid staff meetings where problems could be aired. We had several of these to enable everybody to give their 2cents. I had somebody capture all the problems listed (real and imagined). I immediately started attacking low hanging fruit and they could see I was serious about fixing the problems.

After a few meetings, I noted that all the complaints were repeats of previously stated issues. That’s when I enacted the following: “if you identify a problem, you must also propose a solution and volunteer to lead the effort to fix the problem... otherwise you are just whining and we’re done with time for whining.”

When somebody identified problems following these criteria, I would agree to dedicate minimal manpower and funding to help them solve their problems after we agreed upon their plan. The plans were seldom perfect, but the new lead had buy-in to ensure its success and they always improved the situation.

I say this to point out that the author of this article identifies the the problem and they suggest a potential solution. However, he fails to volunteer to lead. Saying somebody else should do... brings you back to whining.

IMO