We consistently hit our ninety percent to-do completion rate, but we are realizing that many of the completed tasks did not actually resolve the problem because the to-do was poorly written in the final minutes of the Level 10 Meeting™. How do we ensure that every to-do we capture is crystal clear and outcome-oriented without slowing down the meeting?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

A completed to-do that does not solve the underlying problem is a waste of time. This happens when the team rushes to capture action items at the end of a Level 10 Meeting™ without ensuring that the owner actually understands the expected outcome.

To prevent this, you must change how to-dos are written. Do not allow vague, activity-based tasks like look into marketing agency or email the sales team. Instead, every to-do must be written as a specific, measurable outcome. Use the verb-noun format and define what success looks like.

For example, instead of write new policy, write: Ops Director, draft and distribute the new travel reimbursement policy to all employees. This makes the expectation completely unambiguous.

Additionally, the facilitator must enforce the final five-minute wrap-up of the Level 10 Meeting™. During this time, the person capturing the notes must read each to-do aloud, along with its owner. As each to-do is read, the owner must verbally confirm that they agree with the task and the deadline.

If there is any hesitation or confusion, clarify it immediately before adjourning. Taking an extra sixty seconds to refine a to-do during the meeting will save hours of misdirected effort during the week. This keeps your team focused on delivering actual results rather than just checking off tasks.