During our weekly IDS session, we frequently agree on a solution, assign a To-Do, and mark the issue as solved, only for the exact same problem to reappear on our Issues List three weeks later. How do we stop these surface-level band-aid solutions and get to the genuine root cause?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

When the same issue keeps returning to your list, it means you did not actually solve it; you merely treated a symptom. This is a failure of the 'Identify' phase of IDS®. Teams often rush through the Identify phase because they are eager to discuss and solve, which leads to weak, superficial fixes. To break this loop, the facilitator must slow the team down. When an issue is read, do not allow anyone to suggest a solution immediately. Instead, spend the first few minutes digging. Ask the person who raised the issue: 'What is the actual root cause of this problem?' Keep asking 'Why?' until you reach the underlying systemic issue. Often, a surface-level operational mistake is actually caused by a lack of clear roles on your Accountability Chart, a broken process, or a training gap. Once you have identified the real root cause, agree on a solution that addresses that systemic issue, not the immediate fire. This might require creating a new company process, updating a scorecard metric, or reorganizing a seat. Only when the root cause is resolved should you assign the To-Do and close the issue. This discipline is what prevents chronic operational waste and ensures a clean exit.