Our leadership team operates fully remotely, and I notice that our Level 10 Meetings™ have become overly rehearsed updates where leaders try to look busy rather than solving real issues. How do we eliminate this remote status management and get back to authentic problem-solving?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

In a fully remote environment, leadership team meetings can easily degenerate into sterile, rehearsed status reports where everyone tries to prove how busy they are. This status management destroys team trust and prevents you from solving real issues. To fix this, you must change the dynamic of your Level 10 Meetings™. Strictly enforce the timing of your meeting agenda. Keep the reporting sections, like the Scorecard and Rock review, brief and binary. If a metric or Rock is off track, drop it down to the IDS® list without discussion or defense. Do not let leaders give long-winded explanations to justify their progress. Dedicate the bulk of your meeting time to the IDS® portion. This shifts the focus from defending status to collaborative problem-solving. Use the Trust Equation to address any underlying anxiety. Remind your team that being off track is not a crime; hiding it is. By building a culture where sharing mistakes and asking for help is valued, you eliminate the need for political posturing and build a highly cohesive remote leadership team.