"If you don’t have a system for managing people, then people will manage you."

Gino Wickman

Author and Entrepreneur

How to Run a Level 10 Meeting: A Game-Changer for Team Performance

Meetings: the necessary evil of every organization.

We’ve all been there—long, meandering discussions that lead nowhere, endless debates without decisions, and worst of all, time spent talking about work instead of actually doing the work.

According to a study by Harvard Business Review, 71% of senior leaders say meetings are unproductive and inefficient, while 65% say meetings keep them from doing their own work. Worse yet, poorly run meetings can cost companies millions in lost productivity.

So, what’s the fix?

Enter the Level 10 Meeting—a structured, results-driven framework that improves team communication, accountability, and problem-solving.

What is a Level 10 Meeting?

A Level 10 Meeting is a 90-minute, weekly meeting designed to help leadership teams stay aligned, make better decisions, and drive real progress.

Developed by Gino Wickman as part of the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS), this meeting format is widely used across businesses, government organizations, and nonprofits to enhance execution and streamline operations.

Unlike traditional meetings, where discussions often drift off track, Level 10 Meetings focus on what matters most—issues that need solving, accountability for results, and making clear, strategic decisions.

At the end of each meeting, participants rate the session from 1 to 10. The goal? To hit a perfect 10 by continuously improving how the team meets and collaborates.

Why Are Level 10 Meetings So Effective?

The Benefits

✅ Keeps discussions focused and productive – A strict 90-minute time box forces teams to prioritize.

✅ Goal-driven and problem-solving oriented – The bulk of the meeting is spent on solving real issues, not just talking about them.

✅ Ensures accountability – Clear action steps are assigned with "Who does what by when?"

✅ Encourages transparency – Regular check-ins help teams stay aligned on key metrics and organizational goals.

✅ Saves time overall – Investing 90 minutes a week reduces hours of miscommunication, redundant discussions, and firefighting later.

The Challenges

⚠️ Requires discipline – Sticking to the agenda and time limits is crucial.

⚠️ Needs preparation – A scorecard, updated issues list, and rock updates must be ready before the meeting.

⚠️ Strict facilitation is necessary – The meeting leader must ensure no one dominates the discussion and that time isn't wasted.

How to Run a Level 10 Meeting (The EOS Agenda)

This structured agenda ensures weekly meetings are efficient, actionable, and focused on progress.

Step 1: Check-In (5 minutes)

Start with good news. Each team member shares a win or insight—something positive to set the tone.

Step 2: Scorecard Review (5 minutes)

Review the top 3-5 key metrics that track performance. If any are off track, they move to the issues list for discussion.

Step 3: Rock Updates (5 minutes)

Each quarter, teams focus on big strategic priorities called “rocks.” Check if they are on or off track.

Step 4: Client & Employee Headlines (5 minutes)

Share quick one-sentence updates about key clients, employees, or partners.

Step 5: To-Do List Review (5 minutes)

Go over last week’s action items. Any unfinished tasks are discussed or reassigned.

Step 6: Identify, Discuss, Solve (IDS) (60 minutes)

💡 This is where the magic happens.

1️⃣ Identify the top 3 issues to tackle this week.
2️⃣ Discuss each issue—get to the root cause.
3️⃣ Solve it—decide on an action plan and assign responsibilities.

Ask: "Who does what by when?"

Step 7: Wrap-Up & Meeting Rating (5 minutes)

Recap action items and next steps.
Decide what messages need to be shared with the rest of the team.
Rate the meeting from 1 to 10. The goal is to reach a perfect 10 by improving each week.

How to Make Your Level 10 Meetings Work

1️⃣ Hold them at the same time, same place, every week. Consistency builds habits.
2️⃣ Start and end on time. No exceptions.
3️⃣ Prepare ahead of time. Scorecards and issues lists should be updated before the meeting.
4️⃣ Be strict with facilitation. Stay on track and avoid tangents.
5️⃣ Commit to improvement. If a meeting scores below a 10, find ways to make it better next time.

Final Thoughts: Meetings That Actually Drive Results

A well-run Level 10 Meeting can transform how your team operates.

Instead of wasting hours in unproductive discussions, this framework helps you solve problems, stay accountable, and drive real business growth.

It’s not just about having meetings—it’s about having the right kind of meetings.

Want better results? Start holding Level 10 Meetings. Your time—and your team—will thank you.

How Level 10 Meetings Transformed One Leader’s Business

When I first met Greg, he was running a fast-growing biotech startup that had gained serious traction—but behind the scenes, it was a mess.

Greg was brilliant. A visionary. The kind of leader who could dream big, inspire investors, and rally a team behind cutting-edge ideas.

But organization? Structure? Focus?

Not his strong suit.

The Problem: Meetings That Weren’t Meetings

Greg’s leadership team was frustrated. They had meetings—lots of them—but they never seemed to solve anything.

❌ Meetings ran too long.
❌ People talked in circles.
❌ Issues kept getting revisited, but no one made decisions.
❌ Nothing felt urgent—until it was. Then it was a crisis.

They were reactive instead of proactive. Morale was dipping. Stress was rising.

And Greg? He was exhausted.

“I feel like we’re always chasing problems instead of solving them,” he admitted in one of our early coaching sessions.

He wasn’t wrong.

The Change: Implementing Level 10 Meetings

I introduced Greg and his team to the Level 10 Meeting framework. At first, they were skeptical.

“We don’t have time for another meeting,” Greg protested.

“You don’t have time for bad meetings,” I replied.

We committed to a 90-minute weekly meeting—same time, same place, every week.

At first, it was painful.

✅ The scorecard review forced them to confront numbers they usually ignored.
✅ The rock updates exposed how scattered their priorities had become.
✅ The IDS problem-solving process made it clear that most issues weren’t actually being solved.

But here’s the thing—they stuck with it.

The Hard Work: Staying Consistent

The first three months felt slow.

Greg’s team struggled with the structure. Some wanted to debate everything. Others hated the discipline of ranking their meetings.

One executive even told Greg, “This is too rigid for a startup.”

But Greg held firm.

They started to see small wins.

💡 Meetings ended on time.
💡 More decisions got made.
💡 Accountability improved.

By month six, something clicked.

✅ The team started anticipating problems instead of reacting to them.
✅ Their meetings went from time-wasters to time-savers.
✅ Each leader owned their role, instead of waiting for Greg to decide everything.

They weren’t just talking about problems anymore. They were solving them.

The Breakthrough: Measurable Results

By month nine, Greg saw the real impact:

📈 Revenue stabilized—instead of spiking and crashing.
📉 Team turnover dropped—employees were more engaged.
🚀 Customer satisfaction improved—because operations were smoother.

One day, Greg walked into our coaching session and said,

“I feel like I actually lead this company now, instead of it leading me.”

That was the moment.

The Transformation: What Changed?

Greg no longer spent his days putting out fires—his team was handling issues before they blew up.
The company became more strategic—they weren’t just “busy”; they were productive.
People felt heard, empowered, and accountable—the entire culture changed.

And those “rigid” Level 10 Meetings?

They became the most valuable 90 minutes of their week.

The Lesson: Change Takes Time, But It’s Worth It

Greg’s success didn’t happen overnight.

It took months of consistency—showing up, doing the hard work, and committing to growth.

Most businesses don’t fail because they have bad ideas—they fail because they have bad execution.

If your team is stuck in endless meetings that don’t solve anything, it’s time to change the game.

Level 10 Meetings won’t fix everything instantly. But over time, they will transform how your business operates.

And when you look back, you’ll wonder how you ever worked without them.

–––––

Adam Kreek is on a mission to positively impact organizational cultures and leaders who make things happen.

Kreek is an Executive Business Coach who lives in Victoria, BC, near Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and Seattle, Washington, USA, in the Pacific Northwest. He works with clients globally, often travelling to California in the San Francisco Bay Area, Atlanta, Georgia, Toronto, Ontario and Montreal, Quebec. He is an Olympic Gold Medalist, a storied adventurer and a father.

He authored the bestselling business book, The Responsibility Ethic: 12 Strategies Exceptional People Use to Do the Work and Make Success Happen.

Discover our thoughts on Values here.

Want to increase your leadership achievement? Learn more about Kreek’s coaching here.

Want to book a keynote that leaves a lasting impact? Learn more about Kreek’s live event service here.