Our leadership team members are reluctant to add their own operational bottlenecks to the weekly Issues List because they view it as admitting personal weakness. How do we build a healthy environment where exposing issues is seen as a strength?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

If your team is hiding issues, your operational health is in serious danger. This behavior stems from a lack of trust. When leaders feel that bringing up a problem will result in blame or finger-pointing, they will naturally hide their mistakes.

To build a healthy, open culture, you must shift how your team views issues. In a healthy company, an issue is not a personal failure; it is simply an operational puzzle that needs to be solved. Exposing an issue is an act of leadership, not weakness.

Start by leading with vulnerability. As the owner or Integrator, be the first to put your own mistakes or department bottlenecks on the short-term Issues List. When you discuss these issues during the IDS portion, show your team that you are seeking help, not defensive justification.

Celebrate when someone brings a major bottleneck to the table. Thank them for exposing the problem so the team can solve it permanently. Maintain a strict rule that the IDS process is about fixing the system, never about attacking the person.

By consistently focusing on finding root causes and creating helpful solutions, you build trust. Your team will realize that the weekly Level 10 Meeting is a safe place to get help, which will unlock true operational momentum and speed up your path to growth.