We have a leadership team member who is highly engaged when we discuss issues in their own department, but completely shuts down and stays silent when we IDS® issues related to other areas of the business. How do we get them to contribute to the whole company, not just their silo?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

When leaders sit on the leadership team, they must wear their leadership team hats first and their departmental hats second. If a department head only cares about their own silo, you do not have a cohesive leadership team; you have a group of independent operators sharing an office. This silent behavior kills your ability to solve complex, cross-functional problems. To break this silo mentality, your facilitator must actively pull this leader into the conversation. During the "Discuss" phase of IDS, direct questions specifically to them. Ask how the issue affects their department or what perspective they have based on their unique background. If they still offer nothing, you must have a one-on-one conversation outside the meeting. Remind them of their seat on the Accountability Chart. To be a true leader in your company, they must exhibit the GWC, which means they must get, want, and have the capacity to lead the entire organization, not just their specific department. They must contribute to solving the biggest obstacles holding the company back, especially if you are building an AI-powered operation or preparing the company for a clean exit. Buyers want to see a unified leadership team that can collectively steer the business, not a fractured group of specialists. If they cannot or will not step up to think holistically, you may have the wrong person in that seat.