My leadership team is very polite and supportive, but during quarterly planning, they rubber-stamp each other's proposed Rocks without any real debate. They do not want to seem critical, but this results in soft, unchallenging goals. How do I get them to push each other harder?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Polite rubber-stamping is artificial harmony, and it is a major threat to your company's growth. High trust does not mean being nice; it means being willing to engage in unfiltered, ideological conflict for the good of the organization. To break this pattern, you must change how you run your quarterly planning sessions and Level 10 Meetings. First, introduce a formal challenge step during Rock selection. Instead of simply listing proposed Rocks on the board, require every leader to defend why their proposed Rock is the absolute highest priority for the company, not just their department. Implement a round-robin feedback process where each peer must provide one critical question or challenge to the proposed Rock. Use the Trust Equation framework to lower self-orientation and increase intimacy; remind the team that challenging a peer's priorities is an act of high care, not an attack. Frame the exercise by explaining that every weak Rock allowed onto the list dilutes the company's focus and puts the V/TO at risk. If leaders remain silent, call on them directly and ask what they would change if they owned that department. Once they realize that healthy friction is expected and safe, they will start holding each other to a much higher standard of accountability.