Ooi Lay Tin, A Senior Business Adviser And Career Coach, On Solving Problems Beyond Silos

If the business world paused to listen to me for two minutes, this is the story I would tell. Early in my career, I learned something that has quietly shaped everything I do today: meaningful problems are never solved by a single discipline, a single department, or a single clever idea. They are solved when people are willing to say yes to the problem first and then think deeply about how to find realistic answers.

Years ago, I worked on a series of research-led marketing and branding campaigns. On the surface, it sounded like a “marketing job.” In reality, it was an education in how the world actually works. To tell authentic stories, we had to sit down with academic staff across medicine, pharmacy, science, engineering & IT, arts and social sciences, business, and psychology. These weren’t abstract conversations. They spoke about managing diabetes, reducing traffic congestion, lowering drug costs, improving mental health outcomes, and influencing public policy.

What struck me was this: none of these problems lived neatly inside a single box. A medical breakthrough needed funding models. A drug innovation required legal frameworks and governance. A traffic solution demanded data, behavioural science, urban planning, and public trust. Behind every 'solution' was an ecosystem made up of finance teams, subject matter experts, regulators, administrators, and end users. They are all coming together from different directions.

That experience changed how I think about work, problem-solving, and leadership. We often train people to optimise within their own lane. KPIs (key performance indicators) sit within departments. Success is measured in silos. But real progress happens when people are encouraged to think beyond their job titles and disciplines. People need to see the full system, not just their part of it. Multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary thinking are not academic buzzwords. They are practical tools for better decisions, better outcomes, and better use of limited resources.

The story I tell is simple. Say yes to the work problem first. Then step back, look wider, and ask who else needs to be in the room. Because the best solutions are rarely single-pronged. They are built through collaboration, context, and the courage to think beyond how we were taught.