Don't Just Treat the "D's" - Get to the Root of the Problem

Problems show up all the time. For a person, long term problems show up as disease. For a family, problems show up as dysfunction. For a community, they show up as destruction. For companies, problems show up as distrust. Disease, dysfunction, destruction and distrust are just four of the many "D's" that are displayed.

When the four "D's" show up, we only reach out for help when the pain and discomfort becomes to difficult to bear. The immediate interventions occur to alleviate the obvious symptoms, tests are conducted and more long term treatment is prescribed. We go home, back to our lives, our communities and our work- cured - for the time being. Feeling better, we decide not to follow up with the experts, time passes, the symptoms become a memory. Then one day one or all of these four "D's" show up and we not just repeat the past, we actually are worse off than before.

Here's my recommendation for overcoming those four "D's" - Create a Root Cause Analysis Process

Step 1: Identify the problem. Ask yourself and others, "What has happened?" The immediate, on the surface answer may seem apparent. Be careful not to want to go for the quick fix. Be sure this is not a pattern and not part of a bigger problem.

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Step 2: Identify ALL the symptoms. Ask yourself and others, "What symptoms are your seeing, feeling, thinking are really present?" Now, really dig down and investigate to be sure this is not a pattern and not part of a bigger problem. Make this as extensive a list as you can

Step 3: Identify the potential causes of the problem. Ask yourself and others, "Why did this particular symptom occur?" For every individual symptom, identify specific causes.

Step 4: Identify the root cause. "What are the patterns?" Common themes and issues will show up. This is where we need to start to work.

Step 5: Map out a long term solution. Ask yourself and others, "How can I actually overcome this problem?" Include resources, support and ideas that will lead to a cure, not just a short term fix.

Consider these five steps when you want to overcome and not just treat all those "D's" in your life.