Level 10 Meetings: Round 2!

(This is an unintentional Part 2 to my initial post on Level 10 Meetings)

Last week, I had an ah-ha moment after many years of running meetings. Since diving into the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) framework, I have always seen the Level 10 Meeting as a way to keep things structured, organized, and focused—and it does that very well. However, my insight last week was realizing the power within the structure—this meeting goes far beyond just maintaining order. It’s a deliberately engineered process that spends the first 25 minutes bringing the right issues to the forefront in a calculated way. By the time you reach IDS (Identify, Discuss, Solve), you already have a curated list of priorities ready for action based on data and facts. This was a mindset shift for me; those first 25 minutes aren't just status checks—they are intentional opportunities for highlighting what truly needs to be discussed. It’s a subtle but powerful shift. Those first 25 minutes are crafted to shape the IDS agenda, ensuring the most pressing challenges naturally rise to the surface, not just communicate status. The structure is about driving real progress. This approach also feeds seamlessly into the cascading structure of Rocks, Issues, and To-Dos (more on that later).

(If you'd like to skip the fable, just scroll down to Implementation)

The Waterfall Effect: Moving from Stalled to Speed Demon

Picture a SaaS startup struggling to launch a key feature—one that could make or break their quarter. The product team had set a Rock to get it live by the end of the quarter, but halfway through, it became clear that things were slipping.

• The meeting began with the Segue during which the Head of Engineering mentioned how challenging the workload had been for her team, signaling early on that something wasn’t quite right. The CEO suggested we add an issue to explore why the team felt overwhelmed.
• Next, the Scorecard review revealed that key development milestones were lagging. This too was then added to the issue list.
• During the Rock Review, it was confirmed that the critical feature development was behind schedule - another issue added to the list..
• And, finally, during the To-Do List review, several incomplete tasks became evident, showing that foundational steps weren’t being executed as planned, adding two more issues to the list.

All of these issues were signals - they pointed to interconnected symptoms of a larger problem - the elephant in the room - and it was clear they needed to be addressed. During the IDS discussion, the team dissected the root issues: QA felt out of the loop with no clear understanding of expectations, while engineering lacked clarity on testing requirements and timelines. This lack of shared goals and communication had created a significant bottleneck—resulting in misunderstandings, missed deadlines, and growing frustration. Engineering was pushing ahead without proper validation - continually having to redo work, QA was constantly in catch-up mode, and Product Management (PM) was left out of the conversation entirely, resulting in missed alignment on the feature's vision and priorities. This lack of coordination led to cycles of rework and wasted effort, with no clear ownership of how the teams' contributions should interlock. It was a textbook example of how cross-team communication can break down and impact delivery.

In IDS, the operations lead proposed a solution: implement weekly syncs that included engineering, QA, and product management. The idea was simple but effective—bring the 'three-legged stool' together: the what (PM), the how (Engineering), and the validation (QA).

• PM, which had been sidelined, would now be directly involved, ensuring that the feature's goals, priorities, and progress were continuously aligned across the teams. The PM representative would also provide clarity on the 'what' and the 'why,' ensuring everyone understood the strategic vision.
• The Engineering representative would focus on 'how' to execute effectively while also engaging with PM to make sure folks truly understood what success for the feature would look like.
• The QA representative would validate the quality and reliability of that work against the specs provided, feeding back into the system if either the specs or the results were out of alignment before anyone got too far down the road in unproductive work.

These weekly syncs would bring together these perspectives, reducing miscommunication and fostering shared ownership of outcomes as the entire group moved the Rock to completion. Each team would come prepared with clear deliverables: PM would outline the feature vision and customer needs, Engineering would present progress and challenges, and QA would provide insights on testing and quality checkpoints. This way, expectations were transparent and attainable for all, creating clear paths forward. Everyone agreed, and the to-do was assigned.

The first sync was far from smooth. PM and Engineering were not fully aligned on feature priorities, which led to confusion during the sync. Engineering was pushing ahead with a part of the feature that had lower priority from a customer perspective, while PM had assumed that critical elements were being tackled first. QA, caught in the middle, was unsure which parts to validate. This misalignment led to frustration, but rather than letting it derail the initiative, the issue was brought up again during the next Level 10 Meeting, feeding back into IDS. The team refined the process—PM committed to better prioritization clarity, Engineering agreed to sync regularly on priorities before major decisions, and QA adapted their testing strategy to reflect updated expectations. By the third sync, the atmosphere began to change. Communication improved, tasks aligned better, and trust began to grow across the teams.

By the end of that sixth week, the feature was back on track. While the Rock wasn't completed on time this quarter, the process ultimately accelerated the overall velocity of the team, making future Rocks far more streamlined in their completion. What had once seemed like an insurmountable roadblock was now a well-coordinated effort. QA, Engineering, and PM were all aligned, with a shared understanding of what needed to be done. This alignment allowed them to catch and address small issues early—before they could balloon into major problems.

Implementation

This story illustrates the true power of the Level 10 Meeting. It’s not just a venue for status updates—it’s where issues are actively solved, cross-functional alignment is strengthened, and strategic Rocks are broken down into actionable steps. More importantly, the waterfall effect—from the initial 25 minutes of focused exploration and communication through to IDS—ensures every challenge is systematically addressed, and progress keeps flowing. No problem is allowed to linger; each one is tackled directly, with clear accountability, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and collaboration. This structured flow keeps the team focused, morale high, and progress steady, allowing everyone to move forward with clarity and purpose. Let's now look at each part, transitioning from storytelling to implementation...

The Segue: Shifting into the Meeting (5 minutes)

The meeting kicks off with the Segue, where everyone shares a quick piece of personal and professional good news. The real purpose here? Transition. It’s about getting everyone mentally shifted from whatever they were doing before to being fully present in the meeting. For example, if someone mentions they’ve had a hectic week managing a client crisis, it doesn’t necessarily become an IDS issue, but it sets the context. This context could reveal valuable insights into recurring issues, providing feedback that might inform future improvements to the company's services. The Segue helps the team focus, ensuring they are ready to tackle the agenda with full awareness of the underlying challenges. Next, we dive into the numbers.

The Scorecard: Data Drives the Conversation (5 minutes)

Once the Segue is done, the team jumps into the Scorecard. This is where the numbers do the talking. Every KPI on the Scorecard tells you if the team is on track or falling behind. For example, if user engagement metrics for a key feature have been declining for several weeks, it could signal a deeper issue with user experience or feature relevance. Is the onboarding process confusing? Are users dropping off due to bugs or missing value? The Scorecard highlights these performance gaps, making sure they are added to IDS for a deeper dive. This ensures that any emerging issues are addressed before they escalate further, feeding directly into the IDS process. It’s not just about the metrics—it’s about catching the problem early enough to address it before it affects overall customer retention. We feed issues into the IDS queue.

Rock Review: Focusing on Priorities (5 minutes)

Next up is the Rock Review. Rocks are your big priorities for the quarter—the goals that, if accomplished, move the business forward in a major way. Let’s say one of your Rocks is to launch a new product feature by the end of the quarter. If the Rock review shows that the feature development is falling behind schedule, this is a signal that something needs to be addressed. Maybe the team is waiting on critical feedback from another department, or there’s a bottleneck in the development process. The Rock review surfaces these kinds of obstacles, so they can be tackled in IDS. This ensures that any blockers to critical priorities are promptly addressed, feeding directly into the IDS queue for resolution. And it’s not about pointing fingers—it’s about understanding where the holdups are and finding ways for the team to support each other in getting back on track. No discussion here - we just continue to feed any relevant issues into the IDS queue.

Customer and Employee Headlines: Quick Updates with Big Impact (5 minutes)

The Customer and Employee Headlines section allows team members to quickly share important updates affecting the company. These headlines could be positive news—like a customer giving a glowing testimonial or a team member achieving something notable—or they could highlight challenges, such as an employee burnout risk or a customer putting a project up for bid. For example, if the Head of Support flags a marquee customer repeatedly complaining about a recurring product issue, it won't be solved here but should be added to the IDS list. Similarly, if an employee announces parental leave, it helps the team plan and allocate support accordingly. The goal is to foster transparency and open communication, ensuring that every significant update gets the necessary visibility and, if needed, moves into the IDS process for resolution. This way, even minor issues with potential impacts are captured and addressed effectively. So you see - we continue to feed the IDS queue.

To-Do List Review: Accountability Check

The final step before IDS is the To-Do List review, where the team checks in on action items from the previous meeting. For instance, if someone was responsible for improving a key feature's onboarding flow but didn't complete it, the question becomes: why? Was it due to unexpected technical challenges, unclear objectives, or missing support from another department? Incomplete to-dos often point to deeper issues that need to be escalated to IDS. This review helps identify lingering challenges and feeds them into the IDS queue for resolution. And it's more than just noting what's incomplete—it's about asking ourselves, 'How can we remove obstacles and keep things moving forward?'" I hope you are starting to see the pattern here - once again we feed the IDS queue.

The Main Takeaway

By embracing this intentional structure in Level 10 Meetings, we're not just going through the motions—we're actively driving our teams forward, with intentional discovery, support, and problem-solving without blame. Those first 25 minutes set the stage for the heart of the meeting, meaningful problem-solving during a productive IDS session, ensuring that we're zeroed in on what truly matters.

Think about the potential impact: a team that's aligned, proactive, and equipped to tackle challenges head-on. It's more than a meeting agenda; it's a catalyst for continuous improvement and collective success.

So, the next time you step into a Level 10 Meeting, remember the power of that initial flow. Engage fully, contribute openly, and watch how this engineered approach transforms not just your meetings, but your entire team's momentum.