During our weekly meetings, my leadership team members act like reporters updating me on their departments rather than owners driving the whole company forward. How do we shift their mindset so they take true ownership of the V/TO?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

When a leadership team acts like reporters, it is usually because the business is still running on a hub-and-spoke model where you are the hub. They bring problems to you for approval rather than taking ownership of the solutions.

To shift their mindset, you must change how you run your weekly Level 10 Meeting™. Stop accepting status updates during the meeting. The scorecard, Rock review, and people headlines should be brief checks of on track or off track. If something is off track, it goes straight to the Issues List.

During the IDS® portion of the meeting, step back. Do not jump in to solve every problem. Force the department heads to debate and resolve the issues themselves. Your role is to guide the process, not to provide the answers.

Use the GWC™ framework to evaluate each leader's seat. True owners GWC™ their seats; they get it, they want it, and they have the capacity to manage it without constant supervision. If a leader constantly looks to you for validation, they may lack the confidence or the capacity to own their seat.

Review your V/TO® with the team regularly. Ensure they understand how their individual Rocks directly impact the company's overall direction. When they see the direct connection between their decisions and the company's success, they will stop reporting and start leading.