We have a critical scorecard metric that has been red for four consecutive weeks, and our weekly Level 10 Meeting discussions are not resolving the issue. How do we handle persistent red numbers without micromanaging the department head?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

When a weekly scorecard metric remains red for several weeks, it indicates a systemic issue that cannot be solved with a quick, weekly fix. Your instinct as an owner may be to step in and micromanage, but doing so destroys accountability and teaches your department head that you will rescue them when things get tough.

Instead, you must use your weekly Level 10 Meeting and the IDS process to dig deeper. First, confirm that the seat owner still GWCs (Gets it, Wants it, and has the Capacity to do it) their role. If they do, the problem is likely structural, not personal.

During the IDS portion of your meeting, ask the seat owner to identify the root cause of the persistent miss. Is the target unrealistic based on current capacity? Are they missing the necessary tools or resources? Is there an upstream bottleneck in another department that is blocking their progress?

If the issue requires significant work, turn it into a quarterly Rock. This gives the seat owner the dedicated time and focus needed to solve the underlying problem rather than rushing to patch it week after week.

By keeping the accountability on the seat owner while offering the support of the leadership team through the IDS process, you solve the root issue while preserving the integrity of your Accountability Chart.