Our weekly Issues List has become bloated with items that are really just updates or requests for permission, which dilutes our focus during the IDS portion of our Level 10 Meeting. How do we filter out these non-issues before they waste our time?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

A bloated Issues List is a sign of a team that does not trust its own autonomy or understand the purpose of IDS®. When leaders put updates or permission requests on the list, they are looking for a consensus-driven safety net instead of taking ownership of their seats. This waste of time slows down your operational momentum.

To clean up your list, you must enforce a strict filter before you begin the IDS® portion of your Level 10 Meeting™. The facilitator should review the list and ask the owner of each item to state their issue in one clear sentence. If the explanation begins with, I just wanted to update everyone on, or I wanted to see if everyone is okay with, the facilitator must stop them.

Informational updates belong in the Headlines section, where they are shared in seconds without discussion. Permission requests do not belong in the meeting at all. Leaders must have the authority to make decisions within their seats on the Accountability Chart. If they GWC™ their seat, they should make the call and report the result, not ask for group permission.

Only true problems, opportunities, or strategic roadblocks that require collective problem-solving should make it to IDS®. By aggressively filtering the list, you keep your ninety-minute meeting lean and high-impact. You will find that you have more time to focus on the deep, systemic issues that are holding your company back.