Issues - (Traction Toolbox Part 7 of 8) Identifying, Discussing, and Solving Problems

In this seventh installment of our Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) overview, we focus on the “Issues” component—how to identify, discuss, and solve problems effectively.

     To gain traction, organizations must develop the discipline to confront and resolve issues as they arise. This begins with capturing every issue and consistently applying the IDS process: Identify, Discuss, Solve.

     Establishing this discipline helps teams stop procrastinating and avoiding problems. Every issue presents an opportunity for growth. The real danger lies not in having problems, but in ignoring them. Leaders must be willing to make tough decisions and move forward. As a business coach, I’ve seen teams exhaust themselves discussing problems without ever resolving them—a surefire path to frustration and failure.

      A healthy workplace culture encourages transparency. You can’t fix what you won’t acknowledge. Once your team is ready to talk openly, Gino Wickman’s EOS model offers a straightforward method for solving issues.

Step 1: Capture All Issues

·         Long-term issues go on the Issues List in the Vision/Traction Organizer (VT/O) and are addressed during quarterly meetings.

·         Short-term company issues are added to the weekly leadership team’s Issues List.

·         Departmental issues are handled in weekly departmental meetings.

Step 2: Identify and Discuss the Issue

In each meeting, review the full list and select the top three issues. Start with the most critical one and dig deep to uncover the root cause. Most issues are symptoms of deeper problems. Ask tough questions to get to the root problem.  Once the root problem is clearly identified, the team discusses it to gain shared understanding. This is not the time for politics or tangents—stay focused. When the problem is well-defined and discussed, solutions often emerge naturally.

Step 3: Solve the problem

There are three types of resolution: A. Clarity – The issue resolves through the clarity gained in this process.

B. Action – Someone takes a specific action to solve the issue. C. Information – More data is needed before action can be taken.

Every resolution must conclude in a clear next step.  These next steps should be assigned to a specific team member to be completed by a specific deadline.

Ultimately, assigning and completing actions to solve problems is the core purpose of meetings. When understood and practiced, this process transforms issues into momentum.