During our Level 10 Meeting, our leadership team waste time explaining the context of their red numbers instead of just identifying them. What is the exact verbal protocol we must enforce to keep our scorecard review under five minutes?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

To complete your weekly scorecard review in under five minutes during your Level 10 Meeting, you must enforce a strict verbal protocol. The scorecard review is not the time to solve problems, explain away failures, or tell stories. It is strictly a time to state whether numbers are on track or off track.

When the meeting facilitator calls out the scorecard section, they should run down the list of metrics. The person accountable for each metric must state only two things: the actual number and whether it is on track or off track.

If a metric is on track, the owner states the number. For example, forty five, on track.

If a metric is off track, the owner states the number and says, drop it. For example, thirty, off track, drop it.

The word drop means the metric is dropped down to the IDS section of the agenda to be solved later. No one is allowed to ask why it was missed. No one is allowed to offer an excuse or start a brainstorming session. If any team member begins to explain the story behind the red number, the facilitator must instantly cut them off and say, drop it to IDS.

This discipline keeps the team moving. It prevents the emotional drain of defensive posturing early in the meeting. By moving the issues directly to IDS, you protect your calendar and ensure you spend your time solving the root causes of the red numbers rather than listening to superficial excuses.