We have hired a fractional executive to help us run our operations, but they are struggling to adapt to our weekly Level 10 Meeting™ structure, frequently trying to pull our tactical pulse into high-level strategic debates. How do we integrate fractional leaders into our weekly meetings without losing our operational focus?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Fractional executives bring incredible expertise, but because they are only with your business part-time, they often feel pressured to prove their value by driving high-level strategy every time they are in the room. If you let them treat your weekly Level 10 Meeting™ as a strategic brainstorming session, they will quickly derail your operational execution.

To integrate fractional leaders successfully, you must onboard them to your EOS® process just like any full-time hire. They must understand that the Level 10 Meeting™ is a tactical tool designed to keep the business running smoothly week to week. It is not the place for long-term planning or vision debates.

If they bring up a strategic idea during the meeting, the facilitator must immediately park it on the V/TO® or the Long-Term Issues List. Say: That is an important strategic discussion, but we are keeping this meeting focused on our weekly tactical execution. Let's park that for our next quarterly or strategic session.

By enforcing these boundaries, you protect the integrity of your weekly pulse while still capturing their valuable insights. This discipline ensures that your team remains focused on hitting their weekly To-Dos and quarterly Rocks, which is exactly what a healthy, exit-ready business needs to do.