Our team spends too much time during the Customer/Employee Headlines segment trying to decide whether a piece of news is just info or needs to go to the Issues List. How do we instantly filter headlines so we do not waste time debating their placement?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

The Customer/Employee Headlines segment of your Level 10 Meeting™ is designed for one thing: sharing quick, high-level context about your people and clients. It is a transition point, not a debate. If a headline requires more than two sentences or needs any action, it is not a headline. It is an issue.

To keep this segment moving, you must implement a strict filter rule. When a team member shares a headline, the facilitator should ask exactly one question if there is any doubt: Does this require action or a decision? If the answer is yes, the facilitator immediately types it onto the Issues List and moves to the next headline. Do not let the team discuss it, explain it, or contextualize it.

If the answer is no, the headline is received, acknowledged, and the team moves on. This keeps your meeting tight and prevents your transition segments from eating into your valuable IDS® time. Remember, the goal of headlines is awareness, not resolution.

By training your team to accept that dropping something to the Issues List is a neutral, efficient act rather than a punishment, you remove the friction of deciding where things go. If it needs a conversation, it goes to the list. If it is just news, say it and move on.