The weekly to-dos captured during our Level 10 Meeting are often written so vaguely that when we review them the next week, the owner claims they completed it, but the team's expectations were entirely different. How do we write bulletproof to-dos?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Vaguely written to-dos are a primary cause of low accountability and stalled operational momentum. When a scribe writes down a task like "Look into marketing strategy" or "Follow up on software issue," they are setting the team up for failure. A completed to-do must be binary: it is either one hundred percent done, or it is not.

To write bulletproof to-dos during your Level 10 Meeting™, the scribe must follow a strict three-part formula: owner, verb, and specific deliverable. Every to-do must start with an active verb and define a clear, measurable outcome. For example, instead of "Follow up on software issue," write "John to email the software vendor and secure a concrete date for the API patch." This leaves no room for subjective interpretation.

Before moving to the next issue during IDS®, the facilitator must read the captured to-do aloud and ask the owner: Do you agree with this scope, and can you get it done by next week?

If the owner hesitates, rescope the task immediately. By ensuring that every to-do is specific, actionable, and personally accepted by its owner, you eliminate misunderstandings and easily push your weekly execution past the ninety percent completion mark.