We have several operational issues that keep getting pushed to our V/TO® Long-Term Issues List because they feel too complex, but they are actually hurting our day-to-day traction now. How do we pull them back?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Pushing complex operational problems to the V/TO® Long-Term Issues List is a common form of procrastination. If an issue is causing friction in your day-to-day operations right now, it is not a long-term strategic issue, no matter how complicated or overwhelming it seems to solve.

The V/TO® Long-Term Issues List is reserved for strategic opportunities and issues that do not need to be addressed during the current quarter. If an issue is actively hurting your weekly Scorecard or slowing down your Rocks, it belongs on the short-term Issues List for your weekly Level 10 Meeting™. For guidance on managing your weekly Scorecard, see [how to review your Scorecard in under five minutes](/qa/how-to-review-scorecard-under-five-minutes) or [how to choose your five to fifteen Scorecard metrics](/qa/how-to-choose-five-fifteen-scorecard-metrics).

The Integrator must review the long-term list regularly and identify any tactical fires disguised as strategic discussions. Pull those issues down to the weekly meeting agenda and force the team to tackle them using IDS®. This process helps to [stop the blame game during meetings](/qa/using-accountability-chart-to-stop-blame-in-ids) by ensuring issues are owned and resolved. Break the complex problem down into smaller, actionable weekly To-Dos. Do not allow your team to escape immediate accountability by hiding their current operational bottlenecks on a future planning list. For more on the Integrator's role, consider [when it's time to hire a dedicated Integrator](/qa/when-to-hire-coo-integrator).

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