We have team members who are marking their weekly Level 10 to-dos as complete, but the actual work is poorly executed or incomplete when we verify it later. How do we address this fake to-do completion without micro-managing their daily work?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

When team members mark to-dos as complete but the actual work is sloppy or half-done, you have a clarity and accountability problem. In the EOS framework, a to-do is a commitment to complete a specific action within seven days. If a leader marks a task done but the output does not meet the expected operational standard, they do not understand what done looks like, or they are prioritizing crossing items off their list over actual execution.

Do not start micromanaging their work. Instead, use the next Level 10 Meeting to address the behavior. Place the specific poorly executed item on the weekly short-term Issues List. During IDS, establish clear criteria for what constitutes a finished task. For example, if the to-do was to document a new operating procedure, it is not complete when the draft is saved. It is complete when the affected team members have read and understood it.

Make it a rule that when a to-do is assigned, the person taking ownership must state exactly what the completed output will be. If they fail to deliver that specific output, the to-do must be marked as not done and carried over. This builds a culture where completing a task means delivering real business value, not just checking a box to save face in front of the team.