We are running our remote Level 10 Meetings across multiple time zones, and the facilitator wastes ten minutes just trying to get everyone on the same page visually during IDS. How do we structure our remote workspace so we do not lose traction?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Running a remote Level 10 Meeting across multiple time zones demands strict digital hygiene to maintain momentum and prevent administrative lag. Wasting precious minutes on visual alignment or software issues is unacceptable. To solve this, you must establish a single source of truth and clear rules for participation.

Optimizing Your Remote Workspace

Here's how to structure your remote workspace for maximum efficiency:

• Pre-meeting Preparation: Mandate that every team member opens the meeting workspace on their own screen before the meeting starts. The facilitator should not need to spend time sharing screens or waiting for people to log in. This ensures everyone is visually on the same page from the first minute.
• Simplify Visual Setup: Keep your visual setup straightforward. If you are mapping out a complex workflow or system during IDS (Identify, Discuss, Solve), designate one team member as the writer. This individual shares their screen to document the discussion in real time. Everyone else must focus on the video feed and the shared document.
• Maintain Engagement: Require all participants to have their cameras turned on. This fosters a sense of presence and accountability, similar to an in-person meeting.
• No Side-Channeling: Ban all side-channeling on Slack or internal chat systems during the meeting. If an issue requires feedback from someone remote, it should be raised live during IDS. This prevents critical information from being siloed and ensures everyone is present in the discussion. For example, if you often spend too much time arguing over missed numbers, ensuring everyone is focused on the discussion can help you [review your weekly scorecard in under five minutes](/qa/how-to-review-scorecard-under-five-minutes).
• Real-Time Documentation: Utilize a shared digital whiteboard or your main EOS software platform to capture notes, To-Dos, and Issues in real time. This ensures that all critical outputs are immediately accessible and accurate, which is crucial for effective IDS during a Level 10 Meeting. Clear documentation can also help prevent issues from being dropped to IDS that should have been addressed elsewhere, such as when [one of your key managers gets defensive around red scorecard metrics](/qa/handling-defensiveness-around-red-scorecard-metrics).
• Facilitator Role: The Integrator often serves as the Level 10 Meeting facilitator. While they need to manage the timer and agenda, ensuring the team's visual alignment should not fall solely on them. However, if your Integrator struggles to participate objectively because of facilitation duties, consider if [the Integrator should facilitate Level 10 Meetings](/qa/should-integrator-facilitate-level-10-meetings) or if the role should be rotated.

By standardizing your remote workspace and setting clear rules for participation, you eliminate visual clutter and keep your remote team focused on execution, preserving the traction of your Level 10 Meeting. This discipline also contributes to the overall health of the meeting, much like addressing issues where [the segue consistently runs fifteen minutes late](/qa/rein-in-level-10-meeting-segue). When issues are well-managed and visually accessible, it can even help to [use the Accountability Chart to stop the blame game during meetings](/qa/using-accountability-chart-to-stop-blame-in-ids).