Are you solving the problem… or just treating the symptom?
A COO recently called us for help choosing between two training programs for an underperforming manager.
Both programs were solid.
Both were relevant.
Both would have cost thousands.
Both would have failed.
Why?
Because training addressed capability. The real issue was motivation.
This is one of the most common — and costly — leadership mistakes:
👉 Confusing symptoms with root cause.
Examples you’ve likely seen:
- Sales documentation errors → Add more checklists.
- One disengaged employee → Tighten policy for everyone.
- Missed deadlines by a few → Add more reporting layers for all.
But here’s the hard truth:
If the root cause diagnosis is wrong, the response doesn’t matter. No solution works when it doesn’t match the actual problem. The best leaders we work with don’t move faster. They diagnose better.
Our next 5 posts will show you how we do it.