One of our leadership team members consistently agrees to action items during our Level 10 Meetings but fails to deliver on their To-Dos, offering highly logical excuses every single week. How do we break this cycle of polite underperformance?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Excuses, no matter how logical, do not drive a business forward. When a leadership team member consistently fails to complete their To-Dos, they are slowing down the entire organization and demonstrating a lack of personal accountability that will eventually infect the rest of the company.

In EOS®, we aim for a 90 percent completion rate on To-Dos week over week. If a leader is consistently missing this mark, you must address it during the IDS® portion of your next Level 10 Meeting™.

First, identify the root cause. Ask if the leader is simply taking on too much, if they lack the resources to execute, or if they are struggling with time management. If they are overloaded, you may need to delegate some of their responsibilities or adjust their seat on the Accountability Chart.

If the issue is not capacity, it is a behavioral problem. The Integrator must have a direct conversation with the leader outside of the meeting. Explain that agreeing to a To-Do is a promise to the team. If they cannot keep that promise, they are damaging the trust and cohesion of the entire leadership team. Set a clear expectation for improvement, and if the behavior does not change, it is time to treat it as a Core Value or GWC™ issue.