What do you do when the root cause analysis interferes with “sacred cows” (i.e. ego, policy, law, personal preference of the boss, etc.)?

The Fishbone Diagram is only a brainstorming tool so it’s not going to help with “sacred cows.” Then you’re in the realm of soft skills. You can collect data that shows how the issue is a root cause, but you’ll have more luck if you include key people in uncovering the data so they see…