During our Level 10 Meeting™, the team constantly drifts away from the strict agenda and starts discussing random tactical updates during the Scorecard and Rock review. How do we put an end to this agenda drift and keep the team focused on the clock?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Agenda drift is a major source of meeting waste. When your leadership team starts discussing, debating, or solving problems during the Scorecard, Rock, or customer headlines sections, they are stealing valuable time from IDS®. You must build a hard wall between reporting and problem-solving.

The first step to curing agenda drift is training your facilitator to be a proactive boundary keeper. During the first twenty-five minutes of the Level 10 Meeting™, the rule is simple: report the numbers and progress, but do not solve. If a metric is red or a Rock is off track, the owner simply says drop it to the Issues List.

If a team member starts explaining why a number is off track or begins debating a solution, the facilitator must immediately interrupt them. Use a simple phrase like, That sounds like an issue, let us drop it to the list and solve it during IDS.

This keeps the reporting section fast and efficient. It ensures you do not waste time on minor details before you have agreed on the top three issues to solve today.

Additionally, make sure your meeting software or physical board is visible to everyone so the facilitator can instantly log the issue. Once the team trusts that their concerns will actually be addressed during the IDS® portion, they will stop trying to force debates into the reporting sections.