When we IDS an operational issue in our Level 10 Meeting, the discussion frequently stalls because the solution requires input from a department head who is not present in the meeting. How do we handle cross-departmental dependencies during IDS without dragging extra people into the room or delaying the solution for a week?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

When your leadership team is running a Level 10 Meeting™ and an issue requires input from a department head who is not in the room, the discussion often grinds to a halt. Teams frequently postpone the issue until the next week or, worse, make a half-baked decision that causes chaos downstream. Neither option is acceptable. To solve this cross-departmental hurdle during IDS®, you must use the designated handoff process. First, define the issue as clearly as possible with the information you currently have. If the missing leader's context is absolutely necessary to resolve the root cause, do not guess. Instead, assign a weekly To-Do to a meeting participant to meet with that department head, gather the facts, and bring the issue back to the next L10. Second, if the issue is urgent and cannot wait a week, the facilitator should authorize a brief interruption. Call or message the department head for a quick, three-minute clarification, or invite them into the meeting room strictly for that specific agenda item. Once the information is provided, they must immediately exit. Never allow cross-departmental dependencies to become an excuse for operational stagnation. Your weekly meeting pulse must maintain momentum. By establishing a clear, disciplined handoff or a tight communication loop, you keep your leadership team moving forward without bloating your meetings or delaying critical operational decisions.