If you are now, or if you hope to become a manager someday, you’ll need to be a good at problem solving. After all, solving problems is a big part of a manager’s day-to-day work life. So, to help you become better at solving problems, we present the following tips:

1) When starting to tackle a problem, be sure you’re fixing the right problem. Take some time and really think about the issue that has come up and identify it clearly. Write the problem down in one simple sentence. If you can’t write it in one sentence, keep drilling down into the issue at hand until you can summarize the situation in one sentence. Once you know what you’re trying to solve you’ll be better able to actually solve it.

2) Be creative. Think out of the box. Don’t be too worried about following your company’s rules and procedures to the letter — those very guidelines sometimes can hamper problem resolution. In addition, be sure you’re clear about your company’s rules and policies. Does a certain rule really truly exist, or are you assuming it does? Check.

3) If this problem has come up in the past, remember what you did then to solve it. Did it really work (possibly not if the problem has come up again)? If not, do something different. It’s become something of a cliché, but it’s valid nonetheless: the definition of idiocy is doing the same thing again and again and expecting different results. If your answer to this problem didn’t work before, will it really work again? Try something different.

4) If problem solving with a group, hear all ideas and hold back on passing judgment. Ruminate a bit, see if a solution you reject out of hand actually may have some merit. Play with these ideas. What are possible consequences? What are possible “unintended” consequences.

5) Don’t necessarily act on the first viable solution that comes to mind. Again, consider what the consequences and “unintended” consequences might be. Consider other ideas before blindly going with the very first solution that pops up. Keep asking yourself, “what else, what else?”

6) If you’re the one who needs to make the final decision regarding a problem, don’t be afraid to ask for input from others — your colleagues as well as your subordinates. Doing this also is helpful when you finally decide on which solution you’ll implement — you’ll have better “buy in” from other members of your team if you’ve gone to them for input.

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