We are cascading the Level 10 Meeting structure down to our middle managers, but they are resisting and complaining that this is just more corporate bureaucracy that takes them away from their actual work. How do we build genuine buy-in?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

To build genuine buy-in for the Level 10 Meeting™ structure among middle managers, you must show them that the meeting is designed to save them time, not create more work. Managers often resist new meeting structures because they are used to unproductive status updates where nothing actually gets solved. Start by explaining the purpose of the meeting. The Level 10 Meeting™ is designed to be the single, non-negotiable hour where they get everything off their chests, solve their biggest challenges, and gain complete alignment with their team. By committing to this one hour, they can eliminate hours of daily interruptions and endless email threads. Lead by example. Ensure your leadership team is running a flawless Level 10 Meeting™ before you cascade it. If your meetings are disorganized or run over, your middle managers will replicate those bad habits. Once the meetings begin, strictly enforce the ninety-minute limit and the IDS® process. When managers see that they are actually resolving issues permanently instead of just talking about them, their resistance will disappear. They will realize that the Level 10 Meeting™ is the most valuable tool they have to manage their teams and achieve their quarterly Rocks.