We frequently find ourselves in a frustrating loop where an issue we supposedly solved in last week's Level 10 Meeting resurfaces this week because the To-Do owner executed a quick fix. How do we prevent this operational deja vu?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Operational deja vu is a clear sign of weak problem solving during the IDS® portion of your Level 10 Meeting™. When the same issue keeps appearing on your agenda week after week, it means you did not actually solve the root cause, or the resulting To-Do was poorly defined and executed as a temporary patch rather than a permanent fix.

To prevent this, you must change how you define a solution during the Solve stage of IDS®. A true solution must change a system, a process, or a person's behavior. Before you agree to a weekly To-Do, the facilitator must ask the team, will this action item permanently resolve the root cause of this issue? If the answer is no, or if the To-Do is just a quick fix, you have not solved the problem.

When you write down the weekly To-Do, ensure it has a clear, measurable outcome. Instead of writing, look into client onboarding issue, write, update the onboarding checklist to require a signed contract before kickoff and train the team.

If an issue does resurface, do not just put it back on the list and assign another quick To-Do. Drop it to the bottom of the list and schedule a deeper discussion. You must hold the original To-Do owner accountable. If they executed a weak fix, discuss whether they truly understood the expectation or if they lack the capacity to solve the problem at a systemic level.