We have an incredibly talented, introverted leader on our team who is a genius in their seat but remains almost entirely silent during the IDS® portion of our Level 10 Meeting™. How do we draw out their valuable perspective without making them feel interrogated?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

A silent leader on a leadership team is a major liability. If they sit in a leadership seat on your Accountability Chart, they are there to provide their unique perspective and help guide the entire organization, not just run their own department. Silence is often a sign of a lack of safety, over-dominant personalities in the room, or simply a lack of structured space to speak.

To draw them out, the facilitator must actively manage the room. If one or two highly verbal leaders are dominating the IDS® discussion, use your authority to pause the conversation. Turn to your quiet leader and ask a direct, open-ended question like, 'You look at this from a different angle, what are we missing here?' or 'What is your biggest concern about the solution we are proposing?'

Do not allow them to pass with a simple 'I agree.' Force them to articulate their thoughts. You can also implement a silent brainstorming technique before discussing an issue. Give everyone sixty seconds to write down their top solution on a notepad, then go around the table and have everyone read theirs aloud. This levels the playing field for introverts who need a moment to process before they speak.

Make it clear that whole-room participation is a requirement for a healthy team. If they have GWC™ for their seat, their voice is necessary to make the best decisions for the business.