One lesson I've learned and has been very useful in the past is: if you have a big problem, go to the spot or place where you have the trouble and understand it by yourself through first-hand observation.
Managers often underestimate the power of it. This doesn´t mean that you shouldn't empower your teams to solve the problems by themselves, but if you need to know what is going on, take the time to go the spot with your team and review the gap analysis and action plans with them right there.
I just learned that this is a typical Toyota practice part of the Toyota Manufacturing System (TMS) called genchi genbutsu.
