The Burnt Toast Theory and Your Next IT Issue

On my way back from India in July, I experienced several delays that extended my normal 29-hour journey to close to 50 hours. As I grew tired of watching endless streaming, crossing off another item on my to-do list, or answering more emails, I started to think about the Burnt Toast Theory, air travel, and deploying SAP.

For those who are not familiar with the Burnt Toast Theory, it is the following:

The Burnt Toast Theory is a metaphorical concept that suggests small, seemingly negative events can lead to positive outcomes. It derives from the idea that if you burn your toast in the morning, it might cause a chain reaction of delays that prevent you from being in the wrong place at the wrong time later in the day. Essentially, the theory posits that minor inconveniences or setbacks might actually protect you from bigger problems or lead to unexpected opportunities. It's a way of viewing life's small misfortunes with a sense of optimism and perspective, believing that everything happens for a reason and can ultimately work out for the best.

I've been reflecting on the delays during this challenging journey and considering a different perspective on them. Could these delays have prevented me from encountering a more significant problem? Could an unexpected opportunity arise from this delay? How could I benefit from this series of unfortunate events?

While I may never truly know the answers to these questions, they have led me to think about how problems that arise when deploying IT solutions can have a positive outcome. I quickly arrived at the answer, 'Yes.' Although negative at the moment, positive outcomes can and do arise. It comes down to how you understand the problem, resolve it, and move forward. The key is to learn from these experiences, gaining valuable insights that can be applied to future challenges.

Understand the Problem

While it may sound basic, the most critical aspect of finding a positive outcome is understanding the problem. Taking a pragmatic approach to understanding and asking the 'whys,' as well as understanding the impact from a project delivery perspective, is crucial. When problems arise that derail a project, the knee-jerk reaction is to put on a superhero cape and resolve the problem. But more often than not, this doesn't address the root cause of the issue. Taking the time to understand the problem and why it occurred, and then proactively working to prevent its recurrence, is what sets you and your team up for success.

Resolve the Problem

Resolving the problem can be a challenging task. In a perfect world, it would be a quick fix, and the project would continue to flow seamlessly, but we all know that is not always the case. Resolving the problem requires gathering the proper individuals and determining all possible ways to address the issue and its impact on the overall deliverable. Discussing how to resolve the problem can lead the team to arrive at an optimal solution that improves the quality of the overall product being delivered while balancing the project manager triangle of quality, cost and time. Sometimes, the simplest solution is the best solution.

Move Forward

Once the problem is resolved, it is crucial to move f,orward. When issues arise and are fixed in large projects, they often become part of the project's folklore, fostering a sense of camaraderie, but this may not always be healthy. It is important to adopt a continuous improvement mindset to move forward effectively and swiftly. Having this mindset ingrained in the team allows them to focus on learning from the experience and shifting their mindset.

Changing your focus to view challenges with optimism and thoroughness can turn negative situations into opportunities for growth and improvement.