As an owner preparing for a clean exit, I want to use our Level 10 Meetings to evaluate my leadership team's alignment with our Core Values and GWC without making them feel like they are constantly auditioned for their roles. How do I approach this?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Preparing for a clean exit requires you to step back from the daily operational grind and enter the Owner's Box. Your weekly Level 10 Meeting™ is the perfect diagnostic lab to evaluate if your leadership team is ready to run the company without you.

To do this effectively, you must stop stepping in to solve every problem or guide every discussion. Instead, sit back and observe how your team interacts during the IDS® portion of the meeting. Specifically, look for three things.

First, assess if they are living your Core Values during heated debates, treating each other with respect while remaining radically candid. Second, observe if they truly exhibit GWC™, which means they get, want, and have the capacity to manage their seats on the Accountability Chart. Are they owning their numbers on the scorecard, or are they making excuses?

Third, evaluate their ability to make hard decisions without looking to you for approval. If you find yourself constantly being pulled into the discussion, you have not fully transitioned.

Use your observation notes to guide your quarterly developmental conversations with individual leaders outside of the meeting. By using the Level 10 Meeting™ as an observational tool rather than an operational steering wheel, you can confidently build a self-sustaining leadership team that makes your business highly attractive to potential buyers.