We consistently identify and solve issues during our weekly Level 10 Meeting™ using the IDS® process, but the same exact problems keep reappearing on our list three or four weeks later. How do we stop our team from settling for superficial band-aid solutions during the discussion phase?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

When the same problems keep reappearing on your short-term issues list, it means your team is failing at the Identify stage of IDS®. They are treating symptoms instead of solving the actual root cause. This lack of depth stalls progress and wastes valuable leadership energy.

To break this loop, the facilitator must force the team to dig deeper before moving to the Discuss stage. When an issue is brought forward, do not let the team jump straight into brainstorming solutions. Instead, demand that the owner of the issue state the problem in a single, clear sentence.

Next, use the classic technique of asking why five times. If the issue is that a client launch was delayed, do not just make a To-Do to work faster. Ask why it was delayed. If the answer is that the team was waiting on assets, ask why the assets were late. Keep digging until you find the structural flaw, which is usually a broken process, a lack of resources, or an unclear seat on the Accountability Chart.

Only when you have identified the real root cause can you move to the Discuss phase. A true solution must result in a concrete To-Do that prevents the problem from ever happening again. If a solution does not alter a process or clarify accountability, it is just a band-aid.