During IDS, we notice our team constantly jumps straight to solving the symptom without actually identifying the root organizational friction. How do we force the team to stay in the Identify phase longer so we actually solve the issue behind the issue?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Most leadership teams are addicted to the rush of solving problems, which means they spend about two seconds identifying an issue and fifty-eight minutes discussing a bad solution. To break this habit, you must implement a strict rule: nobody is allowed to propose a solution until everyone agrees on the single, underlying root cause. When an issue is read from the list, the meeting leader must ask, what is the real issue here? If the answer is that marketing is not sending enough leads, that is still a symptom. You must ask why multiple times. Is it a capacity issue, a bad seat on the Accountability Chart, or a broken process? Keep digging until you hit one of the core components of your business. If you find yourself discussing how to fix something before you can clearly state the underlying problem in one sentence, stop the conversation. The Identify phase of IDS is not a quick check-box. It often takes up eighty percent of the time allocated for that issue. By holding the line and refusing to let anyone suggest an action item until the root cause is crystal clear, you prevent the team from applying expensive band-aids to structural fractures.