When we run the IDS process on critical business issues, our team members hesitate to bring up the real root cause because it almost always points to a colleague who does not GWC their seat. How do we break through this culture of politeness to solve the real issue behind the issue?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

The biggest barrier to effective problem solving in an EOS® environment is terminal politeness. When an issue repeatedly lands on your list, the root cause is rarely a technical glitch or a communication breakdown. It is usually a people issue, specifically someone who does not GWC™ their seat or is not hitting your core values.

To push past this, your leadership team must embrace healthy conflict. When you begin the Identify step of IDS®, you cannot accept surface-level explanations. If a department is missing its goals, do not settle for excuses about market conditions or lack of resources.

Ask hard, direct questions. Start with: Is this a process issue, or is this a people issue? If it is a people issue, you must use the People Analyzer™ and GWC™ tools openly. If a leader lacks the capacity to run their department, the team must address that reality, even if it is uncomfortable.

To build this trust, the Integrator must set the stage. Remind the team that you are attacking the issue, not the person. If you allow politeness to override truth, you are actively choosing to let your business suffer.

When you run IDS®, dig down until you identify the specific seat on the Accountability Chart™ where the breakdown is occurring. Only when you name the structural or performance gap can you move to the Discuss and Solve steps. Solving the issue behind the issue means making the hard decisions about your team, even when it hurts.