My leadership team members are constantly bringing minor departmental issues to our weekly Level 10 Meetings instead of solving them independently. How do we empower them to resolve peer-to-peer issues offline?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

When your leadership team treats the Level 10 Meeting as a dumping ground for minor issues, it stalls your strategic momentum. This behavior usually stems from a lack of confidence, fear of conflict, or an Accountability Chart that is not fully understood. Your leaders are passing the buck to the executive team instead of taking ownership of their seats. To fix this, the Integrator must establish clear boundaries. When an issue is raised during the IDS portion of the meeting, ask the person presenting it if they have attempted to solve it peer-to-peer first. If they have not, immediately push it off the agenda and instruct them to resolve it offline. Remind your leaders that they are fully accountable for their seats. They have the authority to make decisions within their domains. Encourage them to utilize the IDS process on their own, scheduling short, focused meetings with their peers to work through operational friction. If they struggle to resolve an issue offline because of a structural overlap, use that as an opportunity to review your Accountability Chart. Clarify the roles and accountabilities for each seat so there is no confusion about who has the final decision-making power. By forcing your team to handle departmental issues independently, you free up your Level 10 Meetings to focus on the high-impact issues that drive your company's growth and ultimate exit value.