Our Level 10 Meeting™ Issues List has a core group of critical but uncomfortable issues that we continuously bypass week after week, defaulting instead to solving easier, operational challenges. How do we force the leadership team to confront these avoided, politically charged issues during IDS®?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

It is human nature to avoid conflict. When prioritizing the Issues List, teams naturally gravitate toward easy, transactional problems because solving them feels like quick progress. However, ignoring politically charged, complex issues is a major source of meeting waste. These unresolved issues silently drag down company performance and block your path to a clean exit.

To break this pattern, the facilitator must change how the team prioritizes issues. Before starting IDS®, when the team is identifying the top three issues to solve, the facilitator should actively point out the avoided items. Ask the room directly: This issue regarding our service department margins has been on the list for four weeks. Why are we avoiding it?

Do not let the team choose three easy issues. Force at least one of the top three to be one of the difficult, lingering items. If the team resists, remind them of the EOS® principle that we must enter the danger to solve our biggest obstacles.

During the IDS® process for these uncomfortable topics, keep the conversation focused strictly on the root cause, not personal feelings or historical blame. Use the Accountability Chart to clarify who owns the ultimate decision if the team cannot reach a consensus. By forcing the team to tackle their most avoided issues first, you build the organizational maturity needed to run a self-sustaining business.