I’ll be honest: L10s are my favorite tool when organizations are beginning their EOS journey. They really open up the floor to honest discussion and collaboration between members of the leadership team, but L10 meetings are helpful for every other level of your organization, too. While cascading L10 meetings throughout your organization isn’t always easy, I have walked with dozens of leaders and, like any journey, there are some common frustrations that appear. Here are a few myths I’d like to address that may help ease some frustration.

Myth 1: All L10s Must Be 90 Minutes

As you’ve hopefully learned, every team tends to have different needs, and L10 meetings are no different. Some teams may require a little more time to work through the week’s issues while others may only require 20 minutes. That being said, while the meetings may not require the full 90 minutes, the agenda shouldn’t change.

Make sure each team meets for long enough to address all the agenda items to set them up for the greatest success. The magic formula is ⅓ of your time inspecting the business the team is charged with leading, and ⅔ of the time solving the biggest issues in front of the team.

Myth 2: L10s Are Only For Leaders

Especially for smaller teams, most issues are more easily and effectively solved with every team member involved. In great organizations, everyone leads. If we do our work right on the Accountability Chart™, each person should have a clear picture of what leadership looks like in the seat (or seats) they GWC™. As a manager, the L10 provides a chance to bring your team together and create space for them to lead – together.

Imagine the culture and productivity of your organization if each person acted like a leader for their work, versus waiting for something to break or for you to show up with directions. L10’s create space for leaders to emerge.

Myth 3: There’s No Such Thing As A 10 Rating

When it comes to hosting effective meetings, people tend to get what they expect. If you expect to have an “alright” meeting, you will. If you expect that a meeting will be terrible, it’ll turn into a self-fulfilling prophecy. In all meetings, but especially L10s, don’t settle for “good enough” just because that’s what you’re used to. It’s up to you and your team to push for that 10 rating, and once you experience one I promise you won’t want to go back.

Myth 3.5: The Leader Owns the Meeting

Like everything else your team does, your L10 meetings are a collaborative effort. You all own that meeting together, from setting realistic goals at the beginning to working through the agenda to any meeting outcomes. When you take time to evaluate the effectiveness of each meeting, neither all the praise nor all the blame belong to one person. The rating you decide on belongs to all of you, and the responsibility of raising that rating does, too.

Leading on Different Levels

Your L10 meetings have the potential to be magic for your team’s communication and productivity. As you roll them out to the other levels of your organization, I hope that keeping these myths in mind helps ease some frustration. Even if their L10s may look a little different than the ones you’re used to, have patience. The L10 magic may need a little time to do its work!