When we run our weekly IDS sessions, we struggle to get past the surface symptoms and often solve the wrong problems. How do we systematically drill down to find the true root cause before proposing solutions?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

To find the real issue behind the issue, you must slow down during the Identify step of IDS®. Most leadership teams suffer from an action bias. They want to rush into solving before they actually understand the problem. When an issue is raised, the person who listed it must state the problem in one clear sentence. From there, the team must ask clarifying questions rather than offering solutions. Ask why the issue occurred at least three times. For example, if the stated issue is that marketing missed a deadline, do not immediately brainstorm ways to manage deadlines. Ask why they missed it. If the answer is because they lacked clear product specifications, ask why those specifications were delayed. You will often discover that the root cause is a broken handoff process between product and marketing, not a lazy marketing team. Keep digging until you identify a structural breakdown, a personnel gap, or a missing process. Only when the entire leadership team agrees on the root cause should you move to the Discuss step. Discussing too early leads to circular arguments and temporary band-aid solutions. By spending 70 percent of your IDS® time on the Identify phase, the Discuss and Solve phases will naturally take only a fraction of the time, and the problem will stay solved forever.