Our middle managers are resisting the rollout of departmental Level 10 Meetings, claiming that their teams already communicate constantly on Slack and that a weekly ninety-minute meeting is an unnecessary tax on their time. How do we overcome this resistance?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Resistance to cascading the Level 10 Meeting™ pulse down to departments is common, especially in environments that rely heavily on real-time messaging apps like Slack. However, constant digital chatter is not the same as aligned operational execution. Slack is transactional and chaotic, whereas a structured weekly pulse is strategic and focused.

To overcome this resistance, you must explain the why behind the meeting structure. A Level 10 Meeting™ is actually designed to save time. When run correctly, it eliminates the need for dozens of ad hoc meetings, interruptions, and endless email chains throughout the week. It creates a predictable space where the team can slow down to speed up.

Start by having your middle managers attend a leadership Level 10 Meeting™ as observers. Let them see how the agenda operates and how issues are systematically solved rather than just discussed. Then, support them during their first few departmental meetings. Ensure they understand that the ninety-minute time box is non-negotiable because it allocates a full sixty minutes to the IDS® portion, which is where the real work of removing operational friction occurs.

Once your departmental teams experience the relief of solving systemic issues permanently instead of fighting the same fires daily on Slack, their resistance will vanish. They will realize that the weekly meeting is not a tax on their time, but rather the very tool that gives them their time back.