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Looking for Root Cause Rather than Symptoms

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Some might argue that distinguishing between problems and their symptoms is a challenging skill for a management official to master. After all, you could look at an organization as a virtual human with bodily systems that need to be properly regulated and cared for in order to maximize health and performance. As humans, we occasionally develop symptoms that are an indication that something isn't right with our person. The same is true of organizations. Sometimes management officials struggle to properly separate symptoms from problems. As a result, they attempt to treat the symptoms, which may not resolve the problem.

Why do you believe there is a tendency among management officials to focus on resolving the symptoms associated with problems as opposed to identifying and addressing the problems from which the symptoms spring? Please provide references and at least 250 words+.

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Solution Summary

Many managers tend to spend a great deal of time putting out fires by continually solving symptoms of deeper, more pervasive problems, rather than taking the time to systematically seek out the root cause of these problems

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Hi ~

Here are a few notes and ideas that hopefully will assist you in answering this question. Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance.

Many times, managers are faced with problems which are, in fact actually symptoms of a deeper, more pervasive problem. Resolving these symptomatic problems results only in temporary relief if the root cause is not identified and a resolution implemented. For example, the problem of low patient satisfaction scores is a symptom of a deeper, more widespread problem that is causing patients to be unhappy. ...

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