Problem solvers are curious people. They seek to understand the impact and side-effects, and they are relentless in the pursuit of root-cause. Problem-solving is an essential skill for managers; if this isn't a trait you possess, work hard to acquire it. There's no magic formula, and problems come in all shapes, sizes, and complexities. The specifics of problem-solving depends on the underlying system that's failed, and you cannot approach all problems the same way. Nonetheless there are some measures you should apply to any problem, especially if the issue is significant and requires immediate resolution.

Understand the difference between resolving a problem and fixing a problem. Resolution means the elimination of symptoms and restoration of service, fixing a problem means permanently preventing it from recurring.
Your first concern is resolution, especially if the problem is causing a business impact. For example, if a raw material supply chain is disrupted and is impacting production, you must immediately restore the supply.
You must discover why the problem occurred to prevent it from happening again; this is handled through root-cause analysis. As a manager, you are responsible for the consistent and accurate performance of your department; investigating and eliminating root-cause must be second nature.
When you're getting to the root cause, be implacable in asking why. Keep asking why until you can't ask any further. At that point, you should fully understand what went wrong, and you should be satisfied that you can provide a permanent fix. Here’s an example, the problem: a project was delayed:
Q: Why didn’t the team meet the deadline?
A: Tasks were not completed on time.
Q: Why weren’t the tasks completed on time?
A: The team didn’t have enough technical resources to get the work done.
Q: Why did the team lack the required resources?
A: A request for additional resources was not approved.
Q: Why was the resource request not approved?
A: There was an error in the request approval process that prevented it from getting to the right person.
Q: Why was the approval process flawed?
A: There was a recent change to the process that introduced the flaw, and it wasn’t tested out before implementation.
Q: Why wasn’t the change tested?
A: The person who implemented the change didn’t follow established testing procedures.
An appropriate approval process could have prevented this issue, which arose from a change that bypassed testing policy. The root cause is a failure to adhere to established procedures. To resolve this, corrective action should be taken to fix the process, and the individual responsible for the violation must be held accountable. Additionally, this situation should be shared with others for educational purposes to prevent future occurrences.
Teaching formal Root Cause Analysis (RCA) is beyond the scope of this course, but it's a valuable skill worth learning. There are many other techniques to analyze and map problems, each with its benefits, but asking "Why?" repeatedly is one of the quickest ways to pinpoint the cause. Take time to research problem-solving methods, explore problem management training, and develop strong problem-solving skills—you'll definitely need them in the future.
More importantly, focus on problem avoidance. Hardware, software, people, and processes are going to fail. Be prepared, anticipate the potential breaking points, and have well-practiced restoration mechanisms in place so that your department's services are continuously available.

Remember that problems are expected, so don't overreact. Allow subject matter experts to work the problems they are best suited for; you step in as dictated by local policy, or when things aren't progressing as you require. After the impact is resolved, you focus on the root cause by asking “Why” questions. Lastly, while a good problem solver is always in demand, being a problem avoider will do even more to boost your reputation as a great manager.

Problem Solving