We constantly leave our weekly Level 10 Meetings with several unresolved high-priority issues because we run out of time during the sixty-minute IDS section. What is the correct way to handle these leftover issues without letting them stall our business?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Running out of time is a common symptom of a healthy team that is tackling big problems, but letting those issues linger unresolved is dangerous. You must have a disciplined protocol for handling leftover issues to maintain operational momentum.

First, resist the temptation to extend the meeting. The Level 10 Meeting must end on time, every time, to respect your team's calendar and preserve trust. When the ninety minutes are up, the meeting is over.

Second, any unresolved issues must remain on the short-term Issues List for the following week. Do not move them to the long-term Issues List or the V/TO unless they can truly wait until the next quarterly meeting. Keep them visible and active.

Third, if an unresolved issue is highly urgent and cannot wait seven days, do not try to solve it over email or Slack, which creates digital noise. Instead, the Integrator must schedule a separate, highly focused offline working session with only the necessary parties to solve that specific issue. Keep the rest of the leadership team focused on their daily execution.