When there is a gap between our expectations and reality, we feel unhappy – which is a “Problem”. A deviation from the specification, a failure to meet timelines etc., become our problems. To survive and prosper, organizations must be competent in identifying and resolving these problems

A fundamental part of every manager’s or supervisor’s role is finding ways to solve problems. Many times because of lack of time or because of pressure to achieve results, supervisors/ managers tend to use non-systematic or ad hoc processes to solve problems. They may achieve some results in the short term but it is observed, the sustenance of gains in such processes is very low.

So, being a confident problem solver is really important to one’s success. Much of that confidence comes from having a good process to use when approaching a problem. With a systematic problem-solving process, one can solve problems quickly, effectively and the sustenance of gains is guaranteed.

Working on managing the problem (correction) instead of solving it (with corrective action) creates a situation of firefighting in our daily work. To solve a problem permanently, we need to understand and act on its root cause. We will also understand the steps of identifying root causes and methods to prevent their recurrence.