During our weekly Rock review, our leaders consistently report that their quarterly goals are on track, only for us to discover in week eleven that they are completely off track and cannot be completed. How do we use our Level 10 Meetings to verify actual progress instead of accepting empty verbal assurances?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Accepting a simple verbal on track without validation is a common mistake that leads to missed quarterly goals. A Rock is a major priority, and its progress must be measurable throughout the ninety-day cycle.

To solve this, require every Rock owner to define clear milestones during your quarterly planning session. Each Rock should be broken down into three or four logical phases with specific target completion dates.

During the weekly Rock review in your Level 10 Meeting™, the update cannot be a vague statement. The owner must state whether they are on track based on those specific milestones. If they have missed a milestone, the Rock is officially off track and must immediately be dropped to the Issues List.

Once the Rock is on the Issues List, use IDS® to identify the roadblock. This is not about scolding the owner. It is about the leadership team coming together to help solve the bottleneck before it is too late.

If your company is leveraging AI to automate workflows or preparing for a clean exit, milestone-based execution is critical. Buyers look for organizations that can reliably execute their strategic plans. By using your weekly pulse to inspect milestones, you build a culture of high-trust accountability where progress is always backed by facts.