We feel like we are successfully resolving issues during our weekly IDS® sessions, but the exact same problems keep popping back up on our issues list three months later. How do we ensure we are identifying the root cause and not just putting a temporary band-aid on a structural issue?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

When issues reappear on your list, it means your team did not actually solve the root cause during IDS®. They solved a symptom and called it a day. To stop this cycle, your Integrator must enforce a rule: never accept the first explanation of an issue. When someone brings an issue to the table, they are usually bringing their personal perspective of a symptom. You must ask questions until you find the process failure or human mismatch behind it. To make sure the issue is permanently solved, you must assign a clear To-Do or a Rock that addresses the underlying system. If a number is missed on the Scorecard, the solution is not just to work harder next week. The solution is to update the process, retrain the employee, or adjust the seat responsibilities on the Accountability Chart. Every solved issue must result in a clear, actionable change that prevents recurrence. Write down the resolution clearly and review it in your next Level 10 Meeting™. If the same issue shows up again within ninety days, it means the team was too polite or too rushed to tackle the real breakdown the first time. Go back to the issue and dig deeper.