My leadership team goes through the motions of IDS® in our Level 10 Meeting™, but I can tell they are holding back their real opinions to avoid hurt feelings. How do I build the vulnerability-based trust required for truly healthy conflict?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Artificial harmony on a leadership team is a major barrier to growth. When team members hold back their true thoughts during the IDS® portion of your Level 10 Meeting™, you end up making weak decisions that nobody actually supports. To break this cycle, you must build vulnerability-based trust.

Vulnerability starts with the leader. If you never admit when you do not know the answer or when you have made a mistake, your team will never feel safe doing the same. Start your next quarterly session by sharing a personal mistake or a lesson learned. This signals that perfection is not the standard.

Next, utilize tools to build deeper personal connections. Take time during your offsites to have team members share their personal histories, including where they grew up, their first job, and their worst professional experience. This helps team members see each other as human beings rather than just obstacles to their departmental goals.

Finally, actively call out artificial harmony when you see it. If you notice a team member nodding along but displaying defensive body language, gently push them to speak up. Ask direct questions to draw out dissenting opinions. Remind the team that entering into healthy, passionate conflict is the only way to solve real issues and protect the enterprise value of the company. It is about attacking the problem, never the person.