When fixing the problem does not fix the problem

How to tell whether a growth issue is structural or temporary

When growth slows or feels uneven, the hardest part is not fixing the problem. It is knowing what kind of problem you are dealing with.

Some issues are temporary. Others are structural. Treating one like the other wastes time and energy. This distinction is rarely made explicitly, but it matters.

The pattern behind short term disruption

Temporary issues usually have a clear cause. A key hire has not landed yet.A product change has created short term friction. A customer segment is in flux.

These issues feel disruptive, but they move. With time or targeted action, they resolve.

A useful test is this. If you stopped intervening for a short period, would the system correct itself. If the answer is yes, the issue is likely temporary.

When the issue is baked into the system

Structural issues behave differently. They persist.They reappear in different forms.They show up across teams.They survive changes in people and plans.

Common examples include unclear ownership, misaligned incentives, or decision making that sits between roles.

These problems do not respond to extra effort. They require changes to how the organisation operates.

Why the distinction gets blurred

Under pressure, everything feels urgent. Leaders are expected to act. Teams look for direction. Problems are addressed quickly, often before they are properly understood.

Temporary fixes are then applied to structural issues. Relief is brief. Frustration returns. The business stays busy, but the underlying constraint remains.

Questions that help clarify what you are dealing with

Before acting, it can help to ask:

• Has this problem appeared before in a different guise?

• Does it cut across multiple teams or functions?

• Does solving it rely on one individual compensating?

• Would this still exist if the people involved changed?

Patterns matter more than symptoms.

What changes once the distinction is clear

Temporary issues benefit from focus and patience.Structural issues benefit from clarity and redesign.

Confusing the two leads to overreaction on the one hand, or inertia on the other. Being able to tell the difference does not remove complexity, but it prevents effort being misdirected.