When we tackle issues during our weekly pulse, we often realize we are creating solutions that conflict with our agreed-upon V/TO or three-year goals, effectively drifting away from our core strategy. How do we keep our weekly IDS solutions firmly anchored to our long-term vision?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

It is easy to get caught up in the heat of problem-solving and create a quick-fix solution that makes sense today but actively derails your long-term strategy. When this happens, you are wasting operational energy on solutions that pull you away from your Core Focus.

To prevent this drift, you must use your V/TO® as a filter during the Solve phase of IDS®. The V/TO is not a document you look at once a year and then put in a drawer. It is a live strategic guide that should sit on the table, or be open on your screen, during every single Level 10 Meeting™.

When the team is debating solutions, the facilitator must ask a simple filtering question: does this proposed solution align with our Core Focus, our 3-Year Picture, and our 1-Year Plan?

If a solution solves a temporary problem but requires you to build a service that is outside your niche, or distracts you from your current Rocks, it is a bad solution. You must reject it and find an alternative that keeps you on track. By keeping your strategic vision front and center during your weekly meetings, you ensure that every small, tactical decision you make actually builds toward your ultimate ten-year goals.