How do we stop solving symptoms and actually use IDS® to identify the real, uncomfortable root causes of our business issues?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Getting to the issue behind the issue is the hardest part of the IDS® process because real root causes are often uncomfortable. Teams usually solve symptoms like "sales are down" instead of the root cause, which might be that your sales manager does not GWC™ the role, or your sales process is fundamentally broken.

To get to the real issue, you must demand absolute honesty. Ask why at least three times before you even begin discussing solutions. Let the silence hang. Do not let people hide behind passive, corporate language.

If an issue is framed as "marketing needs to improve," look at your Accountability Chart. Who owns that seat? Do they have the tools, the time, and the cognitive wiring to deliver? Sometimes, analyzing conative stress using tools like the Kolbe A Index can reveal if an executive is simply mismatched with their seat's natural demands.

Once the true root cause is identified, the solution is usually simple and takes ten minutes. Spend eighty percent of your time on the Identify phase. Do not allow your team to jump to the Discuss phase until everyone in the room agrees on the single, underlying root cause.