The Eye Doctor Who Looked Deeper
Why leaders can’t afford to treat symptoms without searching for causes
When I was younger, I went to my eye doctor regularly for exams and to purchase contact lenses. My former doctor — a bit old-fashioned by today’s standards — always checked my blood sugar during those visits. At the time, it didn’t seem necessary. I was there for my vision, not a diabetes screening.
But in hindsight, he was being thorough. Deteriorating eyesight can be a symptom of diabetes. He wasn’t just treating what was right in front of him — he was looking for the cause.
My new doctor doesn’t do that test. The exam is efficient, focused strictly on eyesight, and perfectly valid. But the difference between the two approaches is striking. One addressed the symptom. The other searched for the cause.
That distinction matters far beyond a doctor’s office. It matters in how we lead our organizations.
Symptoms vs. Causes
Merriam-Webster defines them this way:
Symptom — “subjective evidence of disease or physical disturbance; broadly, something that indicates the presence of bodily disorder… also, something that indicates the existence of something else” (Merriam-Webster).
Cause — “a reason for an action or condition; something that brings about an effect or a result” (Merriam-Webster).
