When our team tackles issues in our Level 10 Meeting, we usually spend all our time debating symptoms instead of solving the real problem. How do we dig down to find the issue behind the issue during the Identify step of IDS?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Most leadership teams rush directly into debate because talking feels like action. The consequence is solving the wrong problem over and over again. In EOS, the Identify step is where at least half of your IDS time must be spent.

An issue brought to the table is almost never the root problem; it is merely an observable symptom. When an issue is selected from the list, the meeting facilitator must ask clarifying questions before anyone is permitted to propose a solution. Determine the exact failure, identify who owns the seat, and locate where the process broke down.

Apply the Five Whys technique. If the stated issue is missed delivery deadlines, the immediate reaction might be that the operations department is understaffed. Do not stop there. Why is operations behind? Because customer intake forms are incomplete. Why are intake forms incomplete? Because sales bypasses the onboarding checklist to close deals faster. Now you have uncovered the issue behind the issue: an undisciplined sales-to-operations handoff, not an understaffed delivery team.

You only move from Identify to Discuss when everyone in the room agrees on the root cause in one clear, concise sentence. When you solve the underlying root cause, you permanently wipe out twenty recurring symptoms.