Does your leadership team think issues are radioactive? As in, they avoid them like the plague?
Congrats – you are normal. No one likes to see a list of problems, challenges, or issues on a list to deal with.
But every business has them. And if you don’t – that’s also an issue!
Here’s the real takeaway: your issues list isn’t a list of problems; it’s a big fat list of opportunities.
- Opportunities to strengthen your business.
- Opportunities to get ahead of problems before they become fires.
- Opportunities to actually lead instead of react.
Every week, when your leadership team meets, solving your issues should be the priority. That’s the entire point of the Level 10 meeting. It’s meant to be the most productive and efficient time you spend together. If it isn’t, you may be doing it wrong.
Follow the Level 10 agenda to a tee.
- Time it.
- Be obsessive about the line items.
- Use the 60 minutes of issue solving time like it’s sacred
- Because this is where the magic – and the traction you’ve been seeking happens.
During issue solving time, you will work on IDS.
I = Identify
D = Discuss
S = Solve
It’s simple – in theory. It can be a little tricky in practice – especially when your issues start feeling…..well, radioactive.
- Prioritizing the “fake” issue rather than the real one.
You know what the real problem is. Everyone does. But you banter about the symptoms of that issue instead of diving deep – right to the root of the problem. - Prioritizing the wrong issue.
If your scorecard numbers were not met last week, but the number one issue you choose to discuss is your employee party? You chose wrong. Data first. Feelings later. - Letting one person dominate the conversation.
IDS time shouldn’t be a monologue. If you have an issue, speak up. If you have context, add it. Silence doesn’t solve anything.
Once you commit to solving issues (one at a time) start diving deep. Ask better questions:
- Why does it keep popping up on the list?
- Why do you see this as an issue?
- What has to change so it doesn’t come back next week?
The goal of IDS is NOT to feel productive – it’s to solve the issues at the root and make them go away for good!
When you stop treating issues like they are radioactive and start seeing them for what they really are – opportunities to strengthen your business, your meetings will change, your team will gain some confidence and traction stops being optional.
Issues are not your enemy.
Avoiding them is.
Happy Solving!