We have a brilliant but highly defensive leadership team member who tends to derail meetings when their department's metrics are questioned. How do you handle this kind of friction during our session days?

I do not avoid conflict; I run toward it. In healthy companies, conflict is a tool for finding the truth, not a personal attack. When a team member becomes defensive or tries to derail a session, my job as your facilitator is to redirect the energy back to the issues.

We do this by enforcing the ground rules of the operating system. We separate the person from the seat. If a metric on the scorecard is red, it is not an accusation of failure; it is simply a data point that needs to be solved. I will use the IDS® tool to help the team focus on the root cause of the issue rather than the emotional defense of the individual.

If a leader continues to display toxic behavior, block progress, or refuse to be open and honest, they are showing us they do not fit the company's core values or do not GWC™ their seat. We do not let one person's ego hijack the growth of the entire organization. I will hold up a mirror to that behavior during the session, giving your leadership team the clarity needed to make the tough people decisions.

Category: Working With Tyler