Our weekly Issues List is cluttered with status updates disguised as issues. Leaders put items on the list just to announce a project completion or talk about what their department is doing, turning our IDS time into a series of unnecessary presentations. How do we train our team to keep status updates completely off the Level 10 Meeting Issues List?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

A healthy Level 10 Meeting is built for solving problems, not for passive updates. When leaders use the Issues List to show off their progress or share information that does not require a decision, they are wasting valuable leadership energy. This habit often stems from a lack of trust or a misunderstanding of what an issue actually is. To eliminate status updates, the facilitator must apply a strict filter. Every time an item is brought up during IDS, the facilitator should ask the creator, What is the issue, and what do you need from the team? If the creator answers that they just wanted to let everyone know, or that there is no decision to make, the item must be removed instantly. Remind the team that updates belong in other sections. Customer or employee headlines are the correct place for quick, significant news. Scorecards and Rock reviews are the place for progress tracking. If a department head feels the need to share detailed operational updates, they should do so through an asynchronous tool, a monthly email, or departmental huddles. The leadership team meeting is a high-cost environment. Keep it strictly focused on identifying, discussing, and solving problems that are blocking your goals, driving toward your V/TO, or preparing the company for a clean exit.