Most teams are good at fixing things quickly. Far fewer are good at fixing things properly. There’s a real difference between the two, and it shows up again and again in workplaces across Northern Ireland: the same issue keeps resurfacing because nobody stopped to ask why it happened in the first place.
At Elite Training NI, we see this pattern constantly. A deadline gets missed, so someone adds another check-in meeting. A customer complains, so a new form gets added to the process. The immediate problem goes away, but the underlying cause is still sitting there, waiting to cause the next one.
The 5 Whys, explained simply.
The 5 Whys technique is exactly what it sounds like. You take a problem and ask, “Why did this happen?” Then you take that answer and ask why again. Do this five times (roughly; it’s not a strict rule) and you’ll usually land somewhere far more useful than where you started.
Say a report was submitted late. Why? The data wasn’t ready. Why? The person collecting it was off sick with no cover arranged. Why? There’s no backup process for that task. Now you’ve found something worth fixing, rather than just telling someone to manage their time better next time.
Fishbone diagrams: seeing the whole picture
Sometimes a problem has more than one contributing factor, and this is where a fishbone diagram earns its place. You write the problem at the head of the “fish” and branch out into categories such as people, process, equipment and environment. It forces you to look beyond the obvious explanation and consider what else might be feeding into the issue.
Neither technique is complicated. What’s harder is building the discipline to actually use them under pressure, when the easy fix is right there, and everyone just wants the problem to go away.
Where training comes in
This is exactly what our problem solving and decision making training is built around. It’s a one-day course for managers and team leads who want practical tools rather than theory, delivered through realistic scenarios rather than lectures. You can find it alongside our wider range of management training courses too.
If your team keeps solving the same problem twice, it might be worth looking at how it’s being solved the first time. Get in touch with Elite Training NI on 02890 242622or email enquiries@elitetraining.com, or use our contact form to ask about dates.