Speed is a superpower in business—until it isn’t.
Most leadership teams take pride in being responsive. They move fast, jump on problems quickly, and pride themselves on “getting things done.” But there’s a subtle tipping point where speed stops creating traction and starts creating friction.
You know you’re on the wrong side of that line when the same issues keep resurfacing:
- The same customer complaint
- The same missed handoff
- The same “we should really fix this” conversation
- The same meeting where everyone nods… and nothing changes
If that sounds familiar, the problem usually isn’t effort or intelligence. It’s the absence of a repeatable way to solve issues all the way through.
The hidden cost of “moving fast”
Fast teams often become reactive teams.
They fix what’s loud. They put out what’s on fire. They respond to what’s urgent. And unintentionally, they train themselves to live in a loop:
- Problem shows up
- Quick conversation
- Temporary patch
- Problem comes back
Over time, that loop creates:
- Wasted time (re-solving the same thing)
- Frustration (“why are we still dealing with this?”)
- Decision fatigue
- And, most importantly, a slow erosion of trust
Because when people don’t believe issues will get handled, they either stop bringing them up… or they bring them up sideways in hallway conversations.
A simple discipline that breaks the loop: IDS
EOS uses a practical problem-solving tool called IDS (Identify, Discuss, Solve).
It’s not complicated. It’s just structured enough to keep teams from skating across the surface and calling it “done.”
1.Identify the real issue
Most teams are trying to solve symptoms.
A late project becomes “we need to work harder.”
A missed number becomes “sales needs to push.”
A people issue becomes “they just don’t get it.”
But the real issue is often underneath:
- unclear ownership
- a process gap
- competing priorities
- an unresolved decision
- a lack of a measurable standard
When you identify the root, you stop treating the same symptom every week.
Quick test: If you solve it today and it shows up again next week, you probably solved the symptom.
2. Discuss it openly and honestly
This is where teams either build trust or lose it.
A real discussion sounds like:
- “Here’s what I’m seeing.”
- “Here’s what I own in this.”
- “Here’s what’s true right now.”
- “Here’s what we’re avoiding saying out loud.”
A fake discussion sounds like:
- updates
- blame
- politeness
- or “we’ll circle back”
The goal isn’t comfort. The goal is clarity.
3. Solve it for real
Solving doesn’t mean “we agree this is a problem.”
Solving means:
- one clear decision or
- one clear next step
- with an owner
- and a due date (or at least a clear time horizon)
If there’s no owner, it’s a group hope.
If there’s no next step, it’s just a conversation.
And if you don’t track it, you’ll be right back here next week.
The unsung hero: the Issues List
Most recurring problems aren’t difficult—they’re uncaptured.
They live in people’s heads. They come up in side conversations. They get mentioned in meetings but never written down. Then they fade… until the next time they flare up.
An Issues List fixes this by giving problems a home:
- capture issues as they happen
- prioritize them (not all issues are equal)
- bring them into the meeting rhythm
- IDS them until they’re solved
This creates psychological safety in a practical way: people learn that issues won’t be ignored, buried, or endlessly deferred. They’ll be addressed.
Why this works (and why it feels slower at first)
IDS can feel slower to leaders who are used to “just fix it.”
But it’s slower in the same way sharpening a knife is slower than sawing with a dull blade. The upfront discipline saves time later because it:
- reduces repeat conversations
- creates better decisions
- improves follow-through
- and helps teams stop carrying unresolved tension
If your team keeps revisiting the same problems…
Don’t default to “we need to move faster.”
Try this instead:
- Start an Issues List (even a simple shared note works)
- Pick the top issue each week
- Run true IDS: Identify, Discuss, Solve
- Leave the room with one clear action and an owner
That’s how speed becomes traction again.
— Chris McCarty – Certified EOS Implementer®