Every week when we try to select our top three issues for IDS, our leadership team enters a lengthy debate because every leader insists their department's issue is the most urgent priority. How do we objectively rank our issues without wasting ten minutes on prioritization?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

When everything is a priority, nothing is. If your leadership team is fighting over which issue to tackle first, it means you lack alignment on what is most important for the business right now.

To solve this, the Integrator must step in and make the call. While the team should input on the priorities, the Integrator is ultimately responsible for maintaining the focus of the meeting.

Use your quarterly Rocks and your Scorecard as your compass. If an issue directly threatens a company Rock or a critical Scorecard metric, it automatically takes priority over general operational complaints.

Ask a simple qualifying question: If we only solve one thing today to help us achieve our quarterly goals, what is it?

Once the top issue is selected, repeat the question for the second and third priorities. Do not allow a vote or a debate. If there is a tie, the Integrator decides instantly.

Remind the team that you will keep solving issues in order of impact. Just because an issue is ranked number four does not mean it is unimportant. It just means it must wait until the most critical threats are resolved. Keep the prioritization process under two minutes to maximize your actual IDS time.