We are considering bringing departmental managers as occasional guests to our leadership Level 10 Meeting™ to help them learn the process. Is this a good way to train them, or does it disrupt the leadership team dynamic?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Bringing guests into your leadership Level 10 Meeting™ is generally a bad idea that disrupts the essential trust and vulnerability of the room. The leadership team must have a safe space to debate highly sensitive issues, challenge each other, and resolve conflicts without worrying about how their comments will be perceived by middle managers or frontline staff.

When you introduce an observer, the dynamic changes instantly. Leaders become more guarded, less willing to admit mistakes, and more inclined to put on a polished performance rather than engage in raw, unfiltered IDS®.

If your goal is to train departmental managers on how to run a Level 10 Meeting™, there are far better ways to do it. You can have them watch educational videos from EOS Worldwide, or better yet, have an experienced facilitator or your professional EOS Implementer® sit in on their first few departmental meetings to coach them live.

You can also share the recorded video of a past leadership meeting if your team is comfortable, but live guests during active, sensitive sessions will stall your momentum. Protect the sacred space of your leadership team pulse. Keep the room limited strictly to those who own a seat on the leadership Accountability Chart to ensure your weekly meetings remain highly productive and completely honest.