When we transition to the IDS® portion of our Level 10 Meeting™, we waste ten minutes debating which issues are the most critical, because every leader insists their department's issue should be prioritized as number one. How do we quickly and objectively prioritize our weekly issues list without causing hurt feelings or political battles?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Wasting ten minutes arguing about priorities is a classic sign of a team that is not aligned on the overall vision of the company. If everyone is fighting for their own department, you are operating as a group of separate silos, not a unified leadership team. To fix this, the facilitator must drive a fast, objective prioritization process. Do not ask which issue they want to solve first. Instead, ask which three issues, if solved today, will have the greatest positive impact on our company-wide Rocks and our V/TO®. The focus must always be on the company first, departments second. The facilitator should scan the list and propose the top three issues based on this company-first lens. For example, suggest prioritizing an issue because it threatens our quarterly revenue target, and another because it directly impacts client retention. This forces the team to look at the list objectively. If a leader wants to advocate for a different issue, they must make a quick, compelling case based on company-wide impact, not personal preference. Keep this process under two minutes. Once the top three are agreed upon, dive straight into solving them.