Why is Root Cause Analysis SO Hard??

Actually, it’s not that the actual process of Root Cause Analysis (RCA) is so hard.  In fact, it’s fairly straightforward.  The biggest problem is the number of people whose critical thinking skills are critically deficient:

• 27% of US adults believe in astrology.  Another 22% said they’re not sure.
• Big companies, like eBay confuse Correlation vs. Causation
• One quarter of Americans believe the Sun revolves around the Earth.

Let’s say that something has gone wrong in your organization.  You are assigned to lead a team to find the root cause and make sure it doesn’t happen again.

There’s a good chance that you’ll have to deal with people that have a critical thinking deficit. Of course, you’ll also have all the normal hurdles to overcome, like convincing everyone that it’s worth the money to dig deep and find the root cause.  More on that below.

In addition to all the that you’ll also have to train your team to think logically.  That’s no small task.

So many people have never been taught how to think logically.  Or, maybe they’ve taken a class, like geometry that required logical proofs, but never had an opportunity to use that logical thinking in practice.  Instead, they have been bombarded with signals from bosses to get results quickly.  Translating critical thinking into the real world has never been allowed, let alone forced upon them.

Now you, the team leader, have to help them unlearn all the habits they have absorbed.  They need to understand that they are entering a whole new world.

Imagine that your team has been raised solely on fast food:  the smell of a quarter-pounder, salivation, instant gratification, hard seats, and out the door again.

And a short time later the carb high collapses; we have to do it again.

Your job is to introduce your team to gourmet food.  Not just the food, but the ambiance - maybe a tapas restaurant, interacting with your companions, choosing the appetizers, the entrees, pairing the wines, the conversation…

You watch your team in their new environment.  They don’t know how to act.  They pull out their cell phones and start scrolling.  But you ask them how their day has been.  Then the wine appears.  Gradually they engage.  At first they nibble at the strange delectables placed in front of them.  You see their eyes widen and they start wolfing it down.  You gesture them to slow down and mix in conversation.

It's all strange to them.  Even when the meal is over, they want to bolt for the door.  You stay calmly seated and order capuchinos.  No need to rush.

When the evening is over, they leave; glancing back, they’re still unsure if what they experienced was real.  It will take repetition before they get used to good restaurants.

But each time leaves a lasting impression.

Now let’s translate to the world of business.  How does one deprogram a team that has been indoctrinated into the cult of fast fixes and cheap business processes?

There are lots of details that need to be covered.  But here is an outline of how you might proceed:

1. Make sure that Top Management Supports the project goals and methodology.  There’s lots of info online.  Here’s a starting point, if you’re not sure where you stand.  All I can say is that, if you don’t have active TMS, you need to re-evaluate your options.
2. Explain to your team that culture change is not easy.  Maybe use the restaurant metaphor above to let them know what they are heading into.  Or, better yet, based on the interests of your team, find your own metaphor.  You may think it’s ironic to use an emotional pitch to convince your team to think logically.  You’re right!  But we’re going with what works.
3. Clearly show them the stock value and cost benefits that are the result of good RCA processes.  Demonstrate that speed canNOT be achieved by rushing.  Speed is an outcome that can only be achieved by building a superior business process.  Building that process takes dedication.
4. Tell your team that it’s not all work.  RCA can be fun.  Ask them if they like mystery stories.  The thrill of the hunt can help dull the daily static coming from everyone else wanting to know when you’re going to stop wasting time.  Your job as a leader is to shield your team from as many distractions as possible.
5. And finally, when the project is successful, make sure that they all get recognized for the work that they did.

Most of the forgoing points are generic Good Project Management.  The nugget here is to recognize that you are just about guaranteed to have some people on your team that don’t have a clue how to think critically.  They can probably be taught.  But it will take time.

How about you?  Do you have a similar story?  Can you suggest a good way to teach critical thinking?  Comment below.