Solve it like a Toddler

In Consulting, jumping to the solution with a partial understanding of the issue is common. It’s a well-documented pitfall in Consulting. I’m talking about Root Cause analysis in action – precisely Steps 1 and Step 2 of Root Cause Analysis.

We often don’t spend enough time on Steps 1 and Steps 2 because we want to speed to Step 4, “Find Solutions.” Solutioning is also incredibly seductive and is a perfect example of Action Bias – we, as humans, often favor action over inaction (or perceived inaction). However, a fantastic tool is the ‘5 Whys’ when you want to get to the core of an issue. Understanding the problem and the causes often requires asking Why 5 times or until there are no more answers. Once you have no answers to the Why question, you have effectively found the Root Cause. Note: It doesn’t mean that the other answers aren’t important, but to get to the root of an issue, your curiosity needs to take over.

I highly recommend reading the article below by the Lean Enterprise Institute to learn more.

References and Resources

5 Whys by Lean Enterprise Institute; Type: Article