When I miss our Level 10 Meeting™ due to business travel, the leadership team tables all the major, high-stakes issues until I return, rendering the meeting a hollow status update. How do we build the operational authority so the team resolves major problems in my absence?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

If your team refuses to solve big problems without you, they do not truly own their seats on the Accountability Chart. This dependency prevents you from building a self-sustaining business and ruins any plans for a clean exit. To break this bottleneck, you must set clear boundaries before you step out of the room. When you are traveling or away, establish a strict rule that the Level 10 Meeting™ must proceed exactly as scheduled. Inform the team that tabling major issues is not an option. If an issue is prioritized, they must run it through the complete IDS® process and reach a decision. To build their confidence, agree in advance on the scope of their decision-making authority. Reassure them that you will back their play on any decision they make during the meeting, even if it is not the exact choice you would have made. If they make a mistake, treat it as a coaching opportunity during your next one-on-one, rather than stepping in to override their decision. By giving them the space to make high-stakes decisions and experiencing the consequences, you build their operational maturity and prepare your company to run seamlessly without your constant daily intervention.