In a recent LinkedIn post, Mark O’Donnell addresses a common frustration for many businesses: the tendency for problems to resurface, even after they appear to have been “fixed.” O’Donnell, author of the book “Issues,” argues that the failure to permanently resolve issues stems not from a lack of willingness to solve problems, but from teams consistently addressing the wrong thing – the symptom rather than the root cause.
The Pitfall of Surface-Level Solutions
O’Donnell highlights the cyclical nature of unresolved problems. “You’ve “fixed” that issue before… And yet here it is again,” he writes, posing a question that resonates with many: “Sound familiar?” He describes a typical scenario where an issue is discussed, ownership is assigned, and then the problem reappears weeks later, back on the agenda as if no progress was made. This pattern, according to O’Donnell, indicates a fundamental misunderstanding of the problem-solving process.
“The problem isn’t your team’s willingness to solve things. It’s that they’re solving the wrong thing. Every time.”
As Mark O’Donnell points out, the core issue is not a deficiency in team effort but a misdirection of that effort. The focus needs to shift from immediate remediation to identifying and resolving the underlying source of the problem.
The EOS IDS Framework for Sustainable Solutions
To combat this, O’Donnell introduces the three-step track from the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) called IDS: Identify, Discuss, Solve. He breaks down this framework into six actionable steps designed to ensure issues are resolved permanently.
Step 1: Get Everything Out in the Open
The first crucial step, as outlined by O’Donnell, is to create a comprehensive, shared list of all issues, regardless of their nature. “Nothing gets solved if it’s still in someone’s head,” he emphasizes, advocating for a single repository where all problems, “good, bad, [and] uncomfortable,” can be documented.
Step 2 & 3: Prioritize and Find the Real Issue
O’Donnell suggests picking the top three issues to tackle in a meeting, with the fastest to speak claiming the priority. Critically, before any discussion begins, the team must identify the root cause. “What landed on the list is usually the symptom,” he notes. The process involves continuous questioning until the team agrees on the actual, underlying issue.
“Keep digging until the team agrees they’ve found the root.”
Step 4, 5 & 6: Discuss, Decide, Assign, and Close the Loop
The subsequent steps focus on decisive action and accountability. O’Donnell stresses that “Discussion isn’t the goal. A decision is.” Once the root is identified, a clear action with a single owner and a deadline (typically seven days) should be established. This ensures accountability and allows the issue to be removed from the list. Closing the loop involves reviewing completed tasks in subsequent meetings. “If the same issue keeps resurfacing, you haven’t found the root yet. Go deeper,” he advises, underscoring the iterative nature of true problem-solving.
“A solved issue with no owner isn’t solved.”
Mark O’Donnell concludes that dedicating approximately 60 of the 90 minutes in a Level 10 Meeting to this process is essential for preventing issues from recurring. He suggests saving his post as a guide for future meetings and invites readers to share whether their teams struggle with recurring problems.
📝 About This Content
This article is based on insights shared by Mark O'Donnell on LinkedIn.
📅 Originally posted on May 7, 2026 | View original post on LinkedIn →