When we vote on the top three issues to prioritize during the IDS® portion of our weekly Level 10 Meeting™, our department heads consistently vote only for the issues that directly impact their own teams. How do we get our leaders to take off their departmental hats and prioritize what is truly best for the entire organization?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

During the IDS® portion of the Level 10 Meeting™, leadership team members must think like owners of the entire company, not just heads of their respective departments. If leaders only vote to prioritize issues that affect their own teams, you will end up with a fragmented business and unresolved major issues.

To break this departmental bias, the Integrator must set the stage before voting begins. Remind the team that their primary accountability is the health of the entire organization, as outlined in your V/TO®. Ask them to look at the Issues List through the lens of what is holding the company back from achieving its quarterly Rocks and long-term goals.

When voting, do not just ask for individual votes without context. If a department head votes for a minor departmental issue over a major company-wide issue, challenge them. Ask, how does solving your issue move us closer to our overall company goals compared to solving this other issue?

The Integrator must ultimately facilitate consensus. If the team is gridlocked due to departmental self-interest, the Integrator must make the final call on the top three issues. Over time, this consistent focus on the greater good will train your leaders to prioritize based on enterprise value rather than personal convenience.