When we run IDS® in our Level 10 Meeting™, we often find ourselves solving the same operational symptoms month after month because we cannot get to the structural issue behind the issue. How do we systematically peel back the layers to identify if a recurring issue is actually a structural or trust problem?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

To stop solving the same symptoms, your leadership team must master the Identify phase of IDS®. Recurring issues are almost never isolated process failures. They are usually symptoms of a structural gap on the Accountability Chart or a trust issue between team members.

To get to the issue behind the issue, you must run a simple diagnostic test when an issue reappears on your list. First, look at the Accountability Chart. Ask who owns the seat where this issue lives. If the seat is shared, poorly defined, or the person does not fully GWC™ the role, you have a structural issue. Stop talking about the operational mistake and solve the seat definition or the person in the seat.

Second, if the seat is clear and the person GWCs it, the issue is likely a breakdown in trust or communication between two seats. You must force the two seat holders to address the friction directly. Ask them what they need from each other that they are not getting. This shifts the conversation from complaining about a late report to solving a deeper alignment bottleneck.

Finally, do not let team members bring issues to the table without a clear request. They must state whether they need a decision, brainstorming help, or coordination. This prevents the meeting from devolving into a general discussion. If you cannot define the root cause within five minutes, table the issue, assign one person to research the root cause, and bring it back next week. True execution requires the discipline to stop patching holes and start rebuilding the foundation.