We have a split setup where some leaders work in our headquarters while others are permanently remote. How do you facilitate our high-stakes EOS® quarterly and annual sessions in a hybrid format without leaving the remote members feeling like second-class participants?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Facilitating a hybrid room requires a strict commitment to equal presence. When we run a hybrid session, we do not simply turn on a laptop webcam at the end of a long conference table. We establish a digital-first environment where every participant, whether physical or remote, is clearly visible and audible.

We require physical participants to bring individual laptops with cameras active so that remote team members can see faces up close, not just a distant group shot. The shared digital workspace on Circle.so serves as our single source of truth during the day. All session notes, the evolving Issues List, and drafted Rocks are updated in real time on the screen.

As your facilitator, my job is to actively manage the room dynamics to prevent physical participants from dominating the conversation. I will call on remote team members first during IDS® to ensure their perspective is integrated into the decision-making process. We also run all voting and prioritizing tools digitally.

To make this work, your team must agree to zero side conversations in the physical room. Every sidebar conversation is an exclusion of your remote colleagues. By maintaining this discipline, we ensure the level of healthy conflict and team alignment is identical for every leader on the team, regardless of where their desk is located.