Leaders need to Solve Issues

The “solve” step is a conclusion or solution that usually becomes an action item for someone to do.

The item ends up on the To-Do List and when the action is completed, the issue goes away forever (hopefully).

Solving issues takes time. By solving issues now, you’ll save time exponentially across your business by eliminating all future symptomatic issues.


Three types of resolutions will emerge from an issues-solving session:

The first is when the issue is solved and requires action.

The second is when the issue is merely awareness and the conclusion is that everyone concurs with that awareness.

The third is when the issue needs more research or facts. In this case, someone is assigned an action item to do the research and bring it to a subsequent meeting.

As you master this “Issues Solving” process and become stronger at solving your own issues, your team must internalize the following 10 important aspects of solving issues.


The 10 Commandments of Solving Issues:

  1. Thou Shalt Not Rule by Consensus.
  2. Thou Shalt Not be a Weenie.
  3. Thou Shalt be Decisive.
  4. Thou Shalt Not Rely on Secondhand Information.
  5. Thou Shalt Fight for the Greater Good.
  6. Thou Shalt Not Try to Solve Them All.
  7. Thou Shalt Live with It, End It, or Change It.
  8. Thou Shalt Choose Short-Term Pain and Suffering.
  9. Thou Shalt Enter the Danger.
  10. Thou Shalt Take a Shot.

The Issues Solving process always follows the three steps:

  • Identify
  • Discuss
  • Solve

The acronym for this process is IDS.

As you move forward in mastering the “Issue Solving”, IDS will become an important aspect of your day-to-day running of the business.