Our Level 10 Meetings are clean and fast, but we notice the same strategic issue keeps getting deferred week after week because nobody wants to hurt the Integrator's feelings. How do we force the issue to the table?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

When a leadership team avoids resolving a critical issue to protect someone's feelings, they are suffering from artificial harmony. This passive avoidance slows down your operations and allows systemic problems to fester.

The Integrator must set the standard for vulnerability. If you are the Integrator, you must actively invite constructive conflict by saying, "I know this issue touches my department, and I want the raw truth. Let's solve it."

If the team remains silent, the facilitator or another leadership team member must call out the elephant in the room. Use the IDS® process to state the problem clearly. Start by defining the issue in one objective sentence, stripping away all personal feelings and defensive language.

Remember that healthy conflict is necessary to run a great business. If you truly care about your Integrator and the success of the company, you will not let them run a failing department or carry a broken process.

Force the issue to the top of the issues list and resolve it. Solving a painful issue in ninety minutes is much better than suffering through months of operational mediocrity.