Use a reliable and structured problem-solving methodology to help solve problems

This can help to break the cycle of reactiveness and focus on value creation. There’s a difference between managing incidents (fire-fighting) and solving problems (prevention) and having too many employees in fire-fighting mode can undermine your business’s productivity. Start by getting your team focused on solving the right problems, whether developing a new product, expanding into new markets, improving operational efficiency, or enhancing product quality. The more time you spend thinking about the problems which were created yesterday, the less time you will have to lead the organisation to where it needs to be tomorrow.