We notice that several issues on our Level 10 Meeting list keep getting solved, only to reappear under a slightly different name two or three weeks later, meaning we are wasting time fixing the same problems over and over. How do we train our leadership team to dig past the symptoms and identify the true root cause during the IDS process?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

If the same issues keep appearing on your Level 10 Meeting™ list under different names, your team is practicing band-aid decision-making. You are reacting to symptoms instead of identifying the actual root cause of the problem. This wastes time and frustrates your leadership team.

The IDS® process requires a disciplined sequence: Identify, Discuss, Solve. Most teams spend too much time discussing and not enough time identifying. To break this cycle, apply these principles:
- The facilitator must spend the identify phase asking why multiple times to dig below the surface of the issue.
- Do not accept the initial issue description at face value. For example, if the issue is sales are down, push until you find the root, which might be a broken onboarding process for new sales reps.
- Clearly state the root cause in a single, simple sentence before moving to the discuss phase.
- Ensure the proposed solution directly addresses this root cause, not the surface symptom.

When you take the time to isolate the true root cause, you solve the problem once and make it go away forever. This disciplined approach keeps your business moving forward instead of running in circles.