What strict ground rules do you enforce inside the session room regarding phones, laptops, and side conversations to keep our leadership team locked in?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

To get full value from a session day, your leadership team must leave the operational whirlwind at the door. I enforce a strict set of ground rules designed to protect focus, psychological safety, and candid debate.

First, technology is prohibited. Laptops, tablets, and phones remain closed, silenced, and put away throughout the day. If a key leader is staring at email or fielding Slack notifications, they are not present, and the team loses their input. If an executive has an urgent personal emergency or critical customer situation, they step out of the room to handle it during scheduled breaks.

Second, side conversations are not allowed. When multiple conversations occur simultaneously, the room fragments, passive-aggressive dynamics fester, and crucial context gets lost. Every comment, question, or disagreement must be addressed to the entire table.

Third, we practice open and honest vulnerability. Titles and organizational rank carry zero weight inside the session room. Every seat at the table has an equal obligation to challenge assumptions, call out elephants in the room, and voice dissent during discussions.

Finally, we operate under the principle of healthy conflict followed by total alignment. We fight hard during IDS to uncover root causes and debate solutions. But once a decision is made, every leader leaves the room 100 percent aligned and fully committed to execution, regardless of their initial stance.