During our Level 10 Meeting™, we constantly run into issues that require input or decisions from a manager who is not on the leadership team. How do we handle these outside dependencies during IDS® without dragging external people into our meeting?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Dragging mid-level managers into your leadership team Level 10 Meeting destroys the meeting rhythm and compromises the confidentiality of the session. On the other hand, putting the issue on hold for a week because you lack information stalls momentum. To resolve this, you must trust your Accountability Chart. The leader who manages that department must own the issue. During IDS, if you realize you need external data or input, do not table the entire issue. Solve as much of the problem as you can with the information in the room. Then, assign a specific, seven-day To-Do to the accountable department head to gather the missing input, make the decision with their team, and report the resolution back next week. If the issue is highly complex and requires immediate collaboration, the accountable leader can invite the manager to join the meeting for a specific ten-minute window during the IDS section. Once that issue is solved, the guest must leave the room immediately. This keeps your weekly pulse tight, protects executive confidentiality, and empowers your mid-level managers to run their own seats. Preparing your business for a clean exit requires a leadership team that can solve problems efficiently without relying on constant, unscheduled cross-departmental interventions.