Our team has a couple of quiet leaders who sit through the Level 10 Meeting™ and never contribute to IDS® unless a problem directly touches their department. How do we get these silent leaders to engage as whole-company executives rather than siloed managers?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

To build a business that is ready for a clean exit, you need a leadership team of enterprise-level thinkers, not a collection of siloed department heads who only care about their own turf. When leaders stay silent during IDS® unless their department is targeted, it is a sign they do not understand their role on the Accountability Chart. They are not just representing their department; they are co-running the entire company.

To break this silence, the facilitator must actively draw them into the discussion. Stop waiting for them to volunteer. Use direct prompts during IDS® by asking for their perspective on cross-functional problems. You can say, "We are dealing with a sales handoff issue, but as our operations lead, how does this affect your team's capacity?" This forces them to think holistically.

Next, clarify the expectations of their seat. A leader who GWCs their seat must contribute to the overall strategic direction of the business. During quarterly reviews, address this behavior directly. Let them know that passive attendance is not enough. They must actively participate in solving company-wide issues.

If a leader remains silent because they lack the confidence to speak on other areas, pair them with another leader outside their department for peer mentoring. The goal is to build a collaborative leadership team that can run the company without the owner. If they cannot or will not engage in whole-company problem solving, you may have the wrong person in the seat.