Fix the Leak—Don’t Just Mop the Floor

Most businesses are stuck in “whack-a-mole” mode.

A problem shows up. They patch it. It shows up again—slightly different shape. Another patch. And the cycle continues.

Here’s the truth: If you don’t fix the root cause, the issue never really goes away. It just hides, builds pressure, and comes back harder.

That’s where Root Cause Analysis (RCA) comes in. I’ve used it to solve major problems across legal ops, HR, payroll, and more—cutting waste, saving money, and ending the constant fire drills.

Here’s how to actually use RCA in the real world—and make it stick.

1. What Is Root Cause Analysis—and Why Should You Care?

RCA is a simple idea:
Don’t fix the symptom. Fix what’s causing it.

Whether it’s errors in payroll, delays in onboarding, or duplicate data in legal systems—there’s always a deeper reason why things keep going wrong.

Common RCA tools:

• 5 Whys – ask “Why?” five times until you hit the core issue
• Fishbone Diagram – map causes across categories like people, process, tools
• Fault Tree Analysis – break complex failures into parts

“Every error has a parent. RCA helps you track it down and cut it off.”

2. When to Use RCA (And When Not To)

Use RCA when:

• You’ve got a recurring issue
• You’re seeing the same error in different places
• Something is wasting time, money, or trust consistently
• Teams are blaming each other and spinning in circles

Don’t use RCA when:

• It’s a one-off issue with no repeat
• The problem isn’t clearly defined
• You don’t have any data or examples yet

📍 Tip: If it keeps coming back, it’s a root cause issue.

3. How to Run RCA That Actually Solves the Problem

Here’s the real-world flow I use:

Step 1: Define the problem clearly

Example: “Payroll is spending $160,000/year on overtime to fix errors.”

Step 2: Map the process

Use BPMN 2.0, Visio, or just sticky notes. Capture every step—what happens, when, and who’s involved.

Step 3: Involve the front-line team

They know where it breaks. Bring them in early.

Step 4: Apply 5 Whys or Fishbone

Don’t stop at the first “why.” Keep going until the answer makes you uncomfortable—that’s how you know it’s real.

Step 5: Validate with data

Gut feeling isn’t enough. Back it up with facts, metrics, or customer feedback.

Step 6: Fix the cause, not the symptom

And build controls so it stays fixed—checklists, automation, new steps, training.

4. Real Example: Saving 5 FTEs Worth of Time in Legal Ops

Problem: Legal teams across four departments were buried in manual tasks. No time for value-added work. Accuracy at 20%. Everyone frustrated.

What we did:

• Mapped the current process
• Identified duplication, unclear ownership, missing tools
• Ran RCA workshops across teams
• Found the root: fragmented systems, no intake logic, no governance
• Delivered a legal ops tool and standardised intake model

Outcome:

• 5 FTE worth of manual work removed
• Accuracy improved from 20% to 80%
• Teams could focus on actual legal work

5. Real Example: Cutting Payroll Overtime by 90%

Problem: US payroll team was burning $160,000 in overtime. Every month, it was a scramble.

What we did:

• Embedded with the team in Kentucky
• Ran process mapping and RCA
• Discovered core issues: late inputs, broken handoffs, manual checks

Fixes:

• Redesigned workflows
• Clarified roles and SLAs
• Automated checks where possible

Result:

• Overtime reduced by 90%
• Budget slashed to under $80,000
• Team no longer burned out

6. Make RCA Stick: Real-World Tips

• Always involve the people doing the work
• Don’t jump to solutions—dig deep
• Visualise the problem (diagrams help)
• Fix causes, not side effects
• Track the fix after it’s live—did it work?

“If you can’t explain the fix in one sentence, you haven’t found the root cause yet.”

7. Bonus: RCA + Lean Six Sigma = Bulletproof Fixes

In complex environments, RCA works best inside a broader framework like DMAIC:

• Define – What’s wrong?
• Measure – What’s the impact?
• Analyze – Why is it happening?
• Improve – What’s the fix?
• Control – How do we make sure it stays fixed?

I’ve trained 100+ people across multiple orgs on this method—and once teams learn it, they don’t stop using it.

Final Word: Stop Playing Whack-a-Mole

If your teams are always fixing the same issues over and over, you don’t need another bandaid. You need Root Cause Analysis.

It’s simple. It’s effective. And when done right, it turns chaos into clarity—and cost into savings.

Need help solving process problems that keep coming back?
I build smart, repeatable systems that kill issues at the root.
Let’s talk.
👉 improvewithrobert.com | Schedule a meeting below.