How Level 10 Meetings Transformed Our Development Team
Issue #009
This week's strategic brief (5-minute read)
Thursday at 1:00 p.m. sharp.
My development team meets for our weekly Level 10. By 2:00 pm, we've identified opportunities to engage two top corporate donors, agreed on the next step for a cultivation plan for a foundation, and everyone knows priorities.
No rambling updates.
No lost decisions.
Last week, a reader told me:
“Our team meetings feel like chaos. We talk about everything and decide nothing.”
Here’s why that happens — and how to fix it.
Most meetings don’t grow capacity, they create dependence.
Your team brings you problems because that’s what the format rewards. You spend hours making the agenda and leading while they sit back.
The cost?
- You leave drained, not energized
- Decision-making skills stay weak
- Strategic growth slows while you’re stuck facilitating
Why Most Development Team Meetings Kill Capacity
The usual format:
- Round-robin updates (20 min)
- Discussion without decisions (30 min)
- Last-minute announcements (10 min)
- Action items nobody tracks
This format builds dependence. And dependence doesn’t scale.
The Level 10 Fix for Development Teams
Level 10 meetings come from the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS). Teams rate each meeting 1-10, aiming for a consistent 10 — productive, focused, energizing.
Here’s the adapted 60-minute format we use every Thursday — no exceptions:
#1. Good News - 5 Min
One personal or work win. Builds connection and outcome-focused thinking.
#2. Scorecard & Rock Review - 5 Min
Review 5–7 metrics and quarterly Rocks. “On Track” or “Off Track.” If it's off track, it goes to the IDS list for discussion.
Why Rocks? This EOS concept comes from the big Rocks principle: if you fill a jar with sand first, you can't fit the big Rocks. Your Rocks are the 3-5 priorities that must happen this quarter. Everything else is sand.
Examples for development teams:
- Launch major gift program structure
- Implement new CRM workflows
- Secure three $100K+ commitments
#3. Engagement Pulse - 5 min
Check on workload, morale, or concerns — catch small issues before they grow.
#4. Last Week’s Tasks - 5 Min
Done or not done. Builds follow-through.
#5. IDS - Identify, Discuss, Solve - 30 Min
This is where capacity building happens.
- Identify: What’s the issue?
- Discuss: What matters? What are the options?
- Solve: What's the decision and who owns it?
My Tip: If you can’t solve it in 10 minutes, assign an owner to research and report back next week.
#6. This Week’s Tasks - 5 Min
Capture action items and owners.
#7. Rate This Meeting - 5 Min
Here's my team's favorite part: Everyone rates the meeting 1-10 and shares one word about why. "9 - Focused" "8 – Productive." Immediate feedback keeps meetings improving.
Key Outcome: Follow this format and you’ll cut wasted time while building a team that can think and decide without you.
From Tactical → Strategic
Nine months ago, IDS time was full of approvals:
“Can you approve this stewardship plan?”
Now it’s about strategy:
“Is this new revenue opportunity still right for us to launch this fiscal year?”
Same people. Same 60 minutes. The shift came because the format teaches ownership.
Systems Spotlight: How Level 10 Builds the Escalation Ladder
Remember the Escalation Ladder from last week's newsletter? Level 10 meetings are where that system comes alive.
They Own - (Green)
Gets Stronger
When staff bring Green issues, most realize mid-discussion they don’t need approval. They’re looking for feedback and confidence.
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We Discuss - (Yellow)
Gets Clearer
Yellow items, like gift strategies or budget variances, get team input. The owner makes the call.
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I Own - (Red)
Gets Protected
Red issues, like CEO engagement or crisis communications, may be identified, but I own the decision.
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The Result: Over nine months, our IDS list shifted from tactical fixes to strategic challenges because the structure supports growth.
30-Day Launch Plan
Week 1: Setup
- Introduce the Level 10 concept: "We're shifting from me leading to you owning.”
- Create your scorecard and Rocks
- Lock in the same meeting time each week
Weeks 2-3: Practice
- Stick to 60 minutes for maximum focus
- Use questions, not answers, to guide
- Always “Rate This Meeting”
Week 4: See the Change
- Solutions replace problems
- Accountability builds
The Hardest Part: Teaching your team the difference between information sharing and problem solving.
The Best Part: You go from hours of prep to zero, and the team arrives ready to lead.
Reader Challenge
Ask each team member:
"If you hit all your Rocks, what will change in our operation?"
If they can't paint a clear picture of the impact, the Rocks aren't strategic enough.
Coming Next Week
You've transformed weekly operations with Level 10 meetings. But what about bigger conversations, like choosing Rocks?
Next Sunday: The 3-Hour Quarterly That Turns Fundraising Plans into Results.
Your Turn
What’s the issue that never leaves your Level 10 agenda? Reply and I’ll tackle the most common ones in a future issue.
Until next week,
Christine
P.S. The goal isn't perfect meetings - it's productive ones. When your team starts bringing strategic issues instead of updates, you'll know your Level 10 is working.
