The Cabrera Lab Podcast #57: Connect the Dots—Why Root Cause Thinking Isn’t Enough
Apr 2, 2025
Drs. Derek and Laura Cabrera challenge the conventional 'root cause' thinking by exploring how complex problems are actually webs of causality. They highlight the pitfalls of single intervention strategies and argue that addressing interconnected factors is essential for lasting change. Real-world examples, such as sleep hygiene and social issues like polarization, illustrate their points. The hosts also offer practical tools like zooming and relationship mapping to help listeners navigate these complexities and encourage starting small in solving personal problems.
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Problems Are Webs, Not Lines
- Big problems arise from webs of causality, not single linear causes.
- These webs include simultaneity, feedback, and interacting parts that jointly produce effects.
One-At-A-Time Fixes Mislead
- Fixing causes one at a time often fails because interaction effects remain active.
- You must address multiple interacting causes together to see the desired effect.
Root Cause Is A Mechanical Metaphor
- Root-cause methods come from mechanical systems where you can trace a single failure point.
- Social and biological systems rarely behave like machines, so root-cause metaphors mislead.