Our short-term Issues List has swelled to over forty items, and we spend the first ten minutes of IDS® just debating which three issues to tackle first. How do we manage this backlog so our Level 10 Meeting™ remains highly efficient?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

An oversized Issues List is a symptom of a team that is failing to solve problems at their root cause or dumping minor tasks into the weekly pulse. To regain control, you must ruthlessly curate your list before the meeting starts.

First, define what belongs on the weekly short-term Issues List. If an item is a minor administrative task or a quick question, resolve it offline via a direct conversation or a quick message. It does not belong on the leadership team's agenda.

Second, utilize the six compartments framework. If an issue is important but does not need to be solved this quarter, move it to the long-term Issues List on your V/TO®. This keeps your weekly list focused only on immediate operational bottlenecks.

Finally, establish a strict prioritization process. The facilitator should identify the top three most critical issues before the meeting begins, based on their potential impact on your quarterly Rocks or Scorecard. When you transition to IDS®, immediately focus on these top three. Do not allow the team to waste time debating the priority of lower-level issues.