When we run IDS® on our Issues List, we find ourselves discussing operational logistics that really belong to a single seat, while the real issue is that the seat holder does not GWC™ their role. How do we pivot the IDS® process to identify when a system issue is actually a people issue?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

It is common for leadership teams to spend hours trying to fix broken processes or communication gaps when the real issue is that they have a people problem they are too polite to name. You cannot solve a system issue if the person running the system does not GWC™ their seat.

To identify this behind-the-issue reality, the facilitator of the IDS® session must ask hard, direct questions. When an operational issue is raised, ask who owns the seat where this issue is occurring. Then, evaluate that person against your core values and their seat roles. Ask the team if this person truly gets, wants, and has the capacity to do the job.

If the answer is no, stop discussing the operational issue. The real issue is the person in the seat, not the process. You must immediately pivot the IDS® discussion to focus on the people issue.

Solving a GWC™ issue requires honest feedback, a clear plan for improvement, and a timeline. Trying to fix the process around an underperforming employee is a waste of leadership team energy and only delays the inevitable. Once you address the seat holder, you will often find that the operational issues disappear entirely, saving you from rewriting processes that were never actually broken.