The Problem is the Solution

“A problem well stated is a problem half-solved.” – Charles Kettering, American inventor

Often, a problem holds within it the seed to the solution that is sought. So it is with the many issues plaguing the CNMI. With the economy falling, businesses failing, unemployment rising, and families worrying whether they’ll receive a government paycheck on payday, there is a lot to be concerned about. Offering solutions such as casinos on Saipan and legalizing marijuana may address the economic aspect of the problem; however, some “solutions” may also carry with them a host of social issues that could far outweigh any financial results. In this case, the solution could become the problem.
Identifying and stating the core problem is the first step towards resolving it. Once it is understood and addressed, the pernicious symptoms will eventually dissipate. All of our woes and our ultimate solution to issues being faced in business, government, education, and families are found in this one answer: leadership. Leadership is both the problem and the solution.
Sure, many of the situations we’re facing were caused by external influences that appear out of our control; however, effective leadership has the foresight to anticipate and deal with these difficulties. Using a metaphor, if the group you are part of can be compared to a ship at sea, and the captain represents leadership, then it is the ultimate responsibility of the captain to lead the crew and passengers safely to the desired destination. The captain has a clear picture of where the ship is heading, a plan to get there, makes preparations with the proper resources, ensures the crew is well-trained to understand their roles and expectations, and anticipates any storms that may arise.
Once underway, the captain constantly monitors the status of the ship and quickly makes decisions to remain on course. If difficulties arise, the situation is accurately assessed to determine the best response among alternatives, appropriate people are apprised of the situation, and course corrections are made until the mission is completed. In a worst-case scenario a contingency plan is ready to implement, the captain is aware of what is essential and what may need to be sacrificed, tough decisions are made, and if needed, the lifeboats are boarded to ensure the ships most precious cargo will be safe.
Anyone can lead a ship that sails in calm weather, but the real leaders are honed in the midst of adversity. It is in those times of our greatest distress that the true transformational leader rises to the call to solve our greatest problems. A powerful example of the influence of a leader on a community can be found in Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore’s first prime minister in 1959. At the time of Singapore’s independence from Malaysia in 1965, its future appeared bleak. It had little land, no natural resources, poverty and corruption were rampant, ethnic strife between factions of Chinese, Malays, and Indians threatened to tear this small island nation apart. In addition, Singapore was heavily dependent on financial assistance from Great Britain.
Lee Kuan Yew’s extraordinary leadership during a three-decade period is considered by many as an economic and social miracle. Singapore transformed from labor-intensive industries to develop its human capital and high technology. At each stage of development, input was sought from citizens to strengthen their sense of identity and create greater buy-in to his vision.
Lee Kuan Yew focused on developing Singapore’s people, and getting the best individuals to fill critical positions. Human resource development was stressed through educational and vocational programs. Literacy rates rose from 72 percent in 1970 to 92 percent by 1990. Not only was Lee Kuan Yew a leader, he looked for and fostered leadership from within. In a speech to Parliament in 1994, he said: “Singapore must get some of its best in each year’s crop of graduates into government. When I say best, I don’t mean just academic results which indicate only the power of analysis. You’ve then got to assess him for his sense of reality, his imagination, his quality of leadership, his dynamism. But most of all, his character and his motivation, because the smarter a man is, the more harm he might do to society.”
The results are astounding. Singapore has transformed from being a Third World into a First World Nation in one generation. It is rated as the most business-friendly economy in the world, according to the World Bank. The per capita Gross Domestic Product rose from $400 in 1959 to $50,523 in 2009. In 1970, nine percent of the population was living in owner-occupied housing, but in 1990 it rose to 90 percent. Singapore is promoting itself as a medical tourism hub, with the goal to serve one million patients annually by 2012, generate an additional USD 3 billion in revenue, and create 13,000 new jobs.
True leaders bring more than just hope where there is despair. They are people of character and competence who inspire others toward a greater purpose and in the process make a greater contribution in the lives of those they serve. Leaders know how to get results not just in financial capital, but also in human capital. This takes vision, integrity, perseverance, and humility to recognize and admit mistakes, then learn from them. Just as there would be no modern Singapore without the leadership of Lee Kuan Yew; leadership will ultimately be the solution to our greatest challenges in the CNMI.