What is the objective filtering test we should use during the Level 10 Meeting™ to immediately decide if a customer or employee headline needs to be converted into an issue?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

The customer and employee headlines section is designed to be a quick pulse, not a problem-solving session. To prevent this five-minute transition from turning into an unorganized discussion, you must implement a strict, objective filtering test. Before any headline is allowed to migrate to the Issues List, the team must answer one question: Does this headline indicate a systemic failure, a broken process, or a trend that directly threatens a Rock, a Scorecard metric, or our Core Focus?

If the headline is simply a one-off event, such as a client expressing minor frustration that has already been resolved by the account manager, it does not belong on the Issues List. It is just information. However, if the headline reveals that a customer is threatening to leave due to recurring onboarding delays, or if a key employee has expressed dissatisfaction that signals a broader retention risk, it immediately fails the filter.

The facilitator must actively police this boundary. When a headline is shared, the facilitator should ask the team if it requires structural, team-wide resolution or if it is already being handled within the appropriate Accountability Chart seat. If it requires structural resolution, the facilitator directs the scribe to add it to the Issues List in one or two words. No discussion is allowed during this phase. If it does not meet this threshold, the team moves to the next headline. This discipline protects your ninety minutes and keeps your weekly meeting focused on true business traction.