We have successfully rolled out Level 10 Meetings to our departmental teams, but our middle managers are struggling to run them effectively, often turning them into top-down status updates. How do we coach these managers to facilitate true problem solving?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

It is common for departmental Level 10 Meetings™ to degenerate into status updates because middle managers often default to directing rather than facilitating. They carry the habit of telling people what to do instead of letting the team solve problems collectively.

To fix this, you must coach your managers on the mechanics of IDS®. First, make sure they understand that their role as a facilitator is to guide the process, not to have all the answers. The facilitator should speak the least during the meeting.

Second, teach them to enforce the rule that the scorecard, Rock review, and headlines are strictly for reporting. No discussion is allowed during those sections. If an item needs discussion, it must be dropped to the Issues List.

Third, train them to push their teams to identify the root cause of an issue before offering solutions. Middle managers often rush to solve the symptoms because it feels faster, which leads to the same problems repeating week after week.

Finally, have your Integrator sit in on a few of these departmental meetings as an observer. After the meeting, have the Integrator give the manager direct feedback on their facilitation, pointing out where they hijacked the discussion or where they allowed the team to drift. Building strong facilitation skills at the department level is critical for creating a self-sustaining business.