When we run IDS™ during our Level 10 Meetings™, my leadership team gets stuck in endless, circular debates where the loudest voice wins rather than the best solution. How do we establish clear rules of engagement to solve issues objectively?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Endless, circular debates during IDS® sessions are a clear sign of poor issue identification and lack of trust. When a leadership team does not feel safe or lacks objective data, meetings quickly devolve into emotional posturing where the loudest or most senior person wins, leaving real problems unsolved.

To fix this, you must strictly enforce the three-step IDS® process: Identify, Discuss, and Solve. The biggest mistake teams make is spending eighty percent of their time discussing before they have accurately identified the root cause of the issue. When an issue is raised, do not allow anyone to discuss it until the owner of the issue can state the problem in a single, clear sentence.

Once the root cause is identified, transition to the discussion phase. Limit the discussion to only new information. If a team member starts repeating a point that has already been made, the facilitator must step in and shut it down.

Finally, move to solve the issue. A solution in EOS® is always a concrete action item that is assigned to a specific person with a clear deadline. It is not an agreement to talk more later. If the team cannot reach consensus, the leader who sits in that seat on the Accountability Chart must make the final decision. By enforcing these rules of engagement, you will eliminate ego-driven debates and build a highly efficient problem-solving machine.