We have several critical operational problems that span multiple departments, and they keep languishing on our long-term Issues List because no single leader wants to own the cross-functional solution. How do we use IDS to break this deadlock and assign clear accountability?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Cross-functional issues that sit on your Issues List for multiple quarters are a symptom of a weak Accountability Chart or a lack of decision-making discipline during your Level 10 Meeting. When everyone is responsible for a solution, no one is.

To break this deadlock, you must use the IDS process to identify the single seat on your Accountability Chart that is most impacted by the issue or has the ultimate authority to resolve it. During the Identify phase, dig deep to find the root cause of the breakdown. Often, cross-functional issues persist because your workflow passes through multiple hands without a clear hand-off protocol.

Once you have identified the root cause, you must move to the Solve phase. The solution must always result in a single owner taking accountability for the next steps. Even if the solution requires work from three different departments, one leader must be assigned the To-Do or the quarterly Rock to drive the project to completion.

If your team struggles to agree on who should own the solution, the Integrator must step in and make the final decision. Do not allow the team to seek endless consensus or leave the meeting with shared accountability. Assign the ownership, define the clear deliverables, and hold that single leader accountable at your next weekly meeting.