Leaders on our team frequently drop general announcements and informational updates onto the Issues List before the meeting, cluttering the list with items that require no decision. How do we keep informational updates in Headlines and out of the Issues List?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

The Issues List exists for one purpose: to solve problems and capitalize on opportunities. It is not an executive bulletin board, an open mic, or a catch-all repository for company news. When leaders dump general announcements onto the Issues List, they waste valuable time during the IDS portion of your Level 10 Meeting.

Every item submitted to an Issues List must pass a single operational test: Does this require an active decision, a cross-functional solution, or a prioritization choice by this team? If the answer is no, it is not an issue. It is a headline.

To stop this clutter, the Integrator must enforce strict gatekeeping at two points:
- Before the meeting: The Integrator reviews the Issues List during pre-meeting prep. Any item that is purely informational must be moved to Headlines or pushed to standard email communication.
- During the five-minute Headlines slot: If a leader begins describing a problem that requires group discussion, cut them off and move it to the bottom of the Issues List. Conversely, if an item on the Issues List is merely an FYI, have the owner deliver it in fifteen seconds during Headlines and delete it immediately.

Make it clear to your leadership team that an issue must have an owner, a clear tension, and a desired outcome. If there is nothing to identify, discuss, or solve, it does not belong on the agenda for IDS.