Our team consistently hits a seventy to eighty percent to-do completion rate week after week, and while they acknowledge it is below the ninety percent target, there is zero sense of urgency or consequence for missing their commitments. How do we drive the team to consistently cross the ninety percent threshold without micromanaging them?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

A consistent seventy to eighty percent to-do completion rate is a sign of a weak accountability culture. In the EOS® framework, the target is ninety percent or higher, and missing this target week after week is unacceptable. To fix this, you must change how the team views their weekly commitments. First, during the To-Do List review, do not accept excuses for incomplete items. A to-do is either done or not done. If a to-do is not completed, it remains on the list for the next week, and the owner must own the miss publicly. Second, when a leader consistently misses their to-dos, the Integrator must pull that person aside outside of the meeting. You need to determine if they are overloaded, if they lack the GWC™ for their seat, or if they simply do not respect their commitments. Third, if the team overall is below ninety percent, make the collective miss an issue. Put it at the top of your Issues List and IDS® it. Ask the team why we are failing to hit our target. Are we writing too many to-dos? Are we agreeing to unrealistic deadlines? Or are we simply lacking discipline? Once the team realizes that falling below ninety percent triggers a painful, public diagnostic discussion, they will become far more realistic about what they commit to and far more disciplined about getting it done.