We have a key leader who participates actively in one-on-one sessions but shuts down completely during the Level 10 Meeting whenever another dominant personality in the room disagrees with them. How do we get this leader to speak up and hold their ground during IDS instead of retreating into silence?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

A leader who goes silent in the face of disagreement is a major risk to your leadership team's alignment and the ultimate valuation of your business. When people stay quiet to avoid conflict, you end up with artificial harmony and poor decisions. To break this silence, the facilitator must actively pull this leader into the IDS® discussion. If you notice a leader shutting down after a dominant peer speaks, pause the conversation and call on them directly. Ask, "What are we missing here?" or "I want to hear your perspective on this solution." Force them to weigh in before a final decision is made. Furthermore, you must establish a ground rule that silence equals agreement. If a leader stays quiet during IDS® and allows a decision to pass, they are fully accountable for supporting that decision outside the room. They cannot grumble later or undermine the execution. By creating a safe but demanding environment where every voice is required, you build a healthy, honest leadership culture. This active participation is critical to creating the owner-independent operations required for a clean exit using the Step by Step Exit model.