Every company leader wants to create a team that’s fully aligned around their mission and holds one another accountable for achieving goals. Many try every trick in the book to foster that type of culture in their organization. As a former business owner, I was one of them! Yet I found I needed more than one-off gimmicks to get my 650-person workforce on the same page. I needed a holistic system created by implementing the tools and disciplines of EOS®. Many of my clients throughout West Michigan agree that one of the most impactful tools was using the Level 10 Meeting® Agenda.
What Are Level 10 Meetings®?
A Level 10 Meeting® is a weekly 90-minute rhythm for each leadership team. It follows a repeatable, timed agenda every week.
At the end of each meeting, attendees grade its effectiveness on a scale of zero to ten. Teams strive to score a ten each time. The Level 10 Meeting® agenda includes Scorecard review, Rock check-ins, customer and employee headlines, and to-dos. The heart is IDS® (Identify, Discuss, and Solve), which helps teams solve their most pressing issues once and for all.
Since the agenda remains constant, the team develops muscle memory and saves time.
How Do Level 10 Meetings® Benefit Your Company?
The Level 10 Meetings® are one of the foundational EOS® tools that keep a team focused on the organization’s Vision. The weekly Level 10 Meetings® are the building blocks of The Meeting Pulse®, which keeps everyone in the entire company connected to its long-term goals.
Companies that skip Level 10 Meetings® often drift off course in only weeks. Everything feels urgent, and leaders find themselves constantly putting out fires in a reactive mode. By locking in the meeting, leaders keep their eyes on the horizon while confidently addressing daily developments.
Focus on Company-Wide Goals
Rock review keeps 90-day priorities alive. Each attendee reports either “On track” or “Off track” in seconds. When Rocks slip, the team adds them to the Issues List, preventing silent failure and protecting bigger goals.
Improved Communication
Everyone hears the same information, wins, and concerns. The shared language in EOS® and the format of Level 10 Meetings® give even quiet voices room to speak. Teams address the most important issues they face, and leaders take to-dos to share information with other levels of the organization.
Identify, Discuss, and Solve Issues Forever
IDS® forces problems out into the open. Teams work together to solve the issues, not blame one another. They work to find the root cause of an issue, discuss solutions, and create action items that kill issues for good. This unblocks stuck processes and frees leaders’ energy for strategic work instead of firefighting repeats.
How Do Teams Benefit from Level 10 Meetings®?
When companies start rolling out EOS® throughout the entire organization, individual teams begin to see massive progress as well. Using the Level 10 Meeting® agenda in team meetings has more impact on teams than just the bottom line.
Impact on Team Health
Regular check-ins keep relationships healthy. Leaders learn to speak honestly without fear, which boosts trust across teams and departments. Meeting segues have each person name one professional and one personal best from the previous week. This reminds everyone that the team is comprised of individuals with interests and dreams that may have nothing to do with the business.
Improved Accountability
The to-do list shows who agreed to take a specific action. Tasks are due next week, not “someday,” so each person owns their commitments. That short fuse sparks quick action and clear responsibility. Reviewing to-dos from the previous week provides clear accountability to the team.
Everyone Rowing in the Same Direction
Scorecards and Rocks align with the Vision/Traction Organizer®. Everyone in the organization sees the same Measurables on the Scorecard, which show the entire company how it is performing toward its goals. Rocks keep each person consistently focused on the most important tasks for the current quarter. Morale climbs because direction no longer changes every Monday.
Open and Honest Discussion
The first few Level 10 Meetings® might feel tense or awkward. Likely both. It doesn’t take long for the team to get into a rhythm. Soon, they see that the consistency and honesty built into the agenda save time and energy. An open culture encourages healthy conflict, but where no one gets blamed for issues. People feel respected, and better decisions follow.
Start Running Better Meetings with Your Team
I’ve helped many business owners throughout West Michigan run better meetings using the Level 10 Meeting® agenda as part of implementing EOS®. Here’s a quick guide on how to start running better meetings with your team.
- Set the Rhythm
Schedule a weekly 90-minute slot and protect it. No one can claim to be “too busy” to attend. The only plausible excuse to miss is vacation (protect that too). Canceling meetings disrupts the rhythm and erodes momentum.
- Assign a Scribe
It doesn’t matter whether your team uses software or a good old-fashioned pen and paper. Having one person responsible for keeping the meeting’s flow going and taking notes keeps everyone focused on the task at hand.
- Use a Scorecard
Track five to fifteen leading indicators that predict success for your team. Don’t use vanity metrics that hold little meaning for team or company success. Make the target numbers difficult, but achievable.
- Review To-Dos
Review to-dos from the previous week. Each team member should strive to complete their to-dos before the next meeting. If an action item lingers, the team should address the root causes during IDS® to unblock progress.
- Master IDS®
Teams do best when they keep things simple during IDS® sessions. State the issue in one sentence. Discuss all aspects of the problem until the root cause appears. When discussions begin to feel redundant, shift to action items by assigning clear to-dos to solve the issue once and for all.
- Review To-Dos and Grade the Meeting
When the team moves to conclude, they review all the new to-dos and have each person agree to the ones they’re responsible for. Then each person grades the meeting. The team should celebrate any scores above eight. Anyone who scores the meeting lower than eight should be prepared to discuss where things could be improved.
- End on Time
No more droning meetings that go way past the scheduled time and bleed into other meetings. Level 10 Meetings® start on time and end on time. Period.
- Exercise Patience
As the saying goes, Rome wasn’t built in a day. Mastery takes time. Give your team roughly eight to ten meetings to get the hang of things. Soon, the team will look forward to weekly meetings.
Using the Level 10 Meeting® Agenda with Your Team
Level 10 Meetings® turn scattered conversations into effective team meetings. This disciplined system boosts alignment, accountability, and team health. I can help you implement EOS® in your company, allowing you to experience these positive effects as well. Schedule a meeting to get started today.