Issues, every business has them. Some are obvious, some are buried, and some quietly drain profit for years without anyone noticing. What separates healthy, high‑performing companies from the rest is not the absence of issues, but their ability to identify, discuss, and solve them with discipline. That is exactly what the EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System®), Issues Solving Track delivers.
The Issues Solving Track is one of the most deceptively simple yet transformative tools in the EOS. It forces leadership teams to stop dancing around symptoms and instead dig until they uncover the real root cause. When teams use it properly, they stop firefighting and start building a business that runs smoothly, predictably, and profitably.
The Power of IDS: Identify, Discuss, Solve
The Issues Solving Track follows a three‑step method known as IDS:
- Identify the real issue
- Discuss it openly and honestly
- Solve it permanently
Most teams think they are solving issues, but in reality, they are only treating symptoms or worse just talking about the issues and not solving them. IDS forces clarity. It demands focus. It eliminates politics, ego, and circular conversations. And when a team commits to it, the results can be extraordinary.
A Manufacturing Business Discovers a Hidden Issue
A mid‑sized manufacturing and supply company introduced EOS to bring more structure, accountability, and alignment to its leadership team. They had been struggling with operational inconsistencies for years, particularly around order fulfilment. Their DIFOT (Delivery In Full On Time) had been slipping, margins were tightening, and customer complaints were rising.
In their very first EOS session, the team built their Issues List, and one problem jumped out immediately: mispicks.
For two years, mispicks had quietly eroded profitability. Incorrect items were being packed and shipped, leading to returns, rework, lost time, and frustrated customers. The team had always assumed the cause was “warehouse sloppiness” or “staff not paying attention”. But under EOS, assumptions are not good enough and the team were committed to IDS.
IDENTIFY: Getting to the Real Issue
The team began by identifying the issue. Instead of accepting the surface‑level explanation, they dug deeper. They asked the questions of expectations, accountability, processes, structure and predictions. They challenged their own assumptions. They looked at data, patterns, and behaviours.
Within minutes, the real issue emerged, and it was not what anyone expected.
The warehouse manager, a long‑serving and highly respected team member, had been struggling to read the picking sheets. His eyesight had deteriorated with age, and the spreadsheet layout made it difficult for him to distinguish the correct product codes. He had never raised it as a problem, as there wasn’t really a forum or a way to do it, and the team had never thought to ask.
For two years, the business had been treating the symptoms, not the cause.
This is the power of the Identify step. It cuts through noise and reveals truth.
DISCUSS: Creating Space for Honest Conversation
Once the real issue was identified, the team moved into the ‘Discuss’ phase. This is where the Issues Solving Track shines. It creates a structured environment where people can speak openly without blame or defensiveness.
The team discussed:
- How long the problem had been occurring for
- Why it had gone unnoticed
- How the current process contributed to the problem
- What the warehouse manager needed to perform at his best
The conversation was respectful, constructive, and focused on solutions; not fault. This is the cultural shift EOS brings. Challenges become opportunities, not threats.
SOLVE: A Simple Fix with Massive Impact
With clarity and alignment, the team moved to the ‘Solve’ step. The solution turned out to be remarkably simple.
They adjusted the picking spreadsheet by moving a key column and aligning it with other picking activities. This made the information easier to read and dramatically reduced the chance of error. No new software, no expensive equipment and no major process overhaul.
Just a small, thoughtful change, discovered through disciplined issue solving.
The results were immediate:
- Mispicks dropped by 90%
- DIFOT improved significantly
- Margins increased
- Customer satisfaction rose
- The warehouse manager felt supported and valued
This is what happens when a team commits to solving the real issue, not the perceived one.
Why the Issues Solving Track Works
The Issues Solving Track works because it:
- Forces teams to slow down and think clearly
- Eliminates emotional bias and guesswork
- Builds a culture of honesty and accountability
- Creates permanent solutions instead of temporary fixes
- Strengthens trust across the leadership team
Most importantly, it gives businesses a repeatable, reliable way to tackle challenges as they arise. Instead of being overwhelmed by problems, teams become energised by the opportunity to solve them.
The Bottom Line
Every business has challenges and will always have them. The difference between stagnation and growth is how you handle them. The EOS Issues Solving Track gives leadership teams a simple, powerful method to uncover the truth, align around it, and solve problems permanently.
The manufacturing business that reduced mispicks by 90% did not achieve that result through luck. They achieved it because they embraced a disciplined system that brought clarity, honesty, and focus to their conversations.
When you implement EOS properly, issues stop being obstacles. They become catalysts for improvement, efficiency, and growth.
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