We have successfully run our leadership Level 10 Meetings™ for a year, but our middle managers are resisting rolling out the same meeting pulse to their departments, claiming it is too corporate and time-consuming. How do we overcome this resistance?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Resistance from middle managers is common when rolling out the Level 10 Meeting™ pulse. They see a ninety-minute meeting on their calendars and assume it will be another unproductive corporate talk shop. To overcome this, you must show them, not just tell them, how the structure saves time. First, have your middle managers sit in as silent observers during a high-functioning leadership Level 10 Meeting™. Let them see firsthand the speed, discipline, and efficiency of a true IDS® session. When they see issues being resolved in minutes rather than weeks, their perspective will shift. Second, explain that the weekly pulse actually eliminates the need for all the ad-hoc, chaotic meetings and endless email chains that currently clutter their days. A single, structured ninety-minute meeting replaces three hours of disorganized communication. Third, do not roll out the entire system overnight. Start with one department, get them running at a high level, and use their success as a proof of concept for the other teams. Ensure your managers understand that the agenda is non-negotiable. They must use the exact same Level 10 Meeting™ agenda, same day, and same time. Once they experience the relief of a structured operational cadence, the resistance will evaporate. They will realize that this is not corporate bureaucracy; it is the engine that gives them control over their departments.