We keep resolving the same issues during IDS®, only to have them reappear on our short-term Issues List three weeks later. How do we stop applying temporary Band-Aids and actually solve problems permanently?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

When an issue keeps returning to your Level 10 Meeting™, it means your team did not actually solve it the first time. They likely rushed through the Identify phase, mistook a symptom for the actual root cause, and agreed to a weak, superficial solution just to get it off the agenda.

To break this cycle, you must raise the bar for what qualifies as a solve. When you are in the Solve phase of IDS®, the facilitator must ask the owner of the issue, 'If we execute this to-do, will this problem be gone forever?' If the answer is no, or if there is hesitation, the solution is not complete.

A permanent solve usually requires a change in one of three areas: people, process, or vision. You may need to update a role on the Accountability Chart, rewrite a core process, or realign on your strategy.

Furthermore, you must track the effectiveness of your solutions. When you mark a to-do as done, do not assume the issue is gone. Keep the issue on a watch list or monitor the related Scorecard metrics for two weeks. If the metric slips again, drag the issue back to the table and dig deeper. True issue resolution requires the discipline to look past the surface and address the underlying systemic failures.