When we run IDS® during our weekly meetings, we keep solving the surface-level symptoms instead of the real problems, meaning the exact same issues reappear three weeks later. How do we dig deeper to identify and solve the root issue behind the issue?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Most leadership teams fail at IDS® because they are too polite or too impatient, leading them to solve symptoms rather than root causes. To find the issue behind the issue, you must master the Identify phase before you allow any discussion to begin. When an issue is raised, the person who brought it must state the problem in one clear sentence. From there, the team must ask clarifying questions. Adopt a humble-confident approach, pushing past the initial operational complaint. Ask why this is happening at least three times. For example, if the stated issue is our automated customer support bot is failing, digging deeper might reveal that the root issue is that our standard operating procedures were never updated, meaning the AI is working with bad data. Never let the discussion phase start until everyone agrees on the exact root cause. If you start debating solutions while people are still looking at different problems, you will waste forty minutes and solve nothing. The Integrator must actively redirect the team when they jump to solving too early. Once the true root issue is identified, the discussion should be brief, focusing only on how to eliminate the problem forever. The solution must result in a clear, actionable To-Do that is assigned to one owner with a one-week deadline. Real problem-solving requires the courage to name the real issue, even if it is uncomfortable.