We just updated our V/TO but half of my leadership team is still pursuing side projects and unapproved opportunities under the guise of being entrepreneurial. How do we force total compliance with our agreed-upon target market and core focus without micromanaging our executive team?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

When members of your leadership team chase side projects or unapproved opportunities, they are violating your core focus and dragging the company in multiple directions. This behavior usually stems from a lack of true alignment on your V/TO®. As an owner, you cannot tolerate executive freelancers who think the rules do not apply to them.

To resolve this, you must bring the issue to your next Level 10 Meeting™ and use the IDS® process. Have an honest conversation about why these side projects are being pursued. Is there a genuine market opportunity that the business needs to discuss, or is this just entrepreneurial distraction?

Remind the team that once the V/TO® is set, every leader must execute it with one voice. If a leader wants to pivot, they must raise it during a quarterly planning session, not implement it unilaterally. Make it clear that staying on your leadership team requires complete commitment to the shared plan. If a director continues to go rogue and invest company resources into unapproved initiatives, they are showing that they do not align with your core values or your operational discipline, and they need to be replaced.