Follow the Breadcrumbs

Not every problem comes with an obvious solution. Sometimes, all you have is a number that doesn’t add up, a missing document, or something that just doesn’t look right.

One thing I’ve learned throughout my career is that you don’t always need to know the answer right away. You just need to know how to find it.

I like to think of it as following the breadcrumbs. Whether it’s tracking down a discrepancy, figuring out where a process went wrong, or understanding why something was done a certain way, there’s usually a trail to follow.

Start with what you know, ask questions, look at the information available, and work your way backward. Sometimes the answer is buried in an old email, a previous transaction, or a conversation with someone who knows more about the situation.

It’s easy to get frustrated when the answer isn’t immediately obvious, but problem-solving isn’t always about having the most knowledge. Sometimes it’s about having the patience and curiosity to keep digging.

The next time you run into a problem you don’t know how to solve, don’t focus on what you don’t know. Start with what you do know and follow the breadcrumbs.