My leadership team has built great peer-to-peer trust, but they still freeze up and defer to me whenever I pitch a new idea during our Level 10 Meeting. How do we break this founder-deference habit so they will actually push back on my ideas?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Cracks at the leadership level appear as canyons to the rest of the organization. When your team defers to you, they are not protecting you; they are crippling the business. This dynamic usually stems from a lack of safety or a long history of you overriding them. To fix this, you must change how you enter discussions.

First, implement a rule that you, the Visionary, speak last. When an issue is raised during the IDS portion of your Level 10 Meeting, let your team debate it fully before you offer your perspective. If you speak first, you unintentionally set the boundaries of the debate.

Second, actively reward dissent. When a leadership team member disagrees with you, thank them publicly. Use the phrase, "I need you to push back on this." This builds the vulnerability-based trust required for healthy conflict.

Third, use the Accountability Chart to reinforce boundaries. If you are debating an operational issue that falls under the Integrator or a specific director's seat, explicitly state that while you have an opinion, they own the final decision. This shifts the team's mindset from seeking your approval to taking true ownership of their seats. Over time, this practice builds a healthy, cohesive, and functional leadership team that operates as equals.