Some of our leadership team members are already highly skeptical of full-day strategic meetings. How do you handle pushback or low energy when we hit a wall during a session?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Skepticism is normal, especially for teams that have experienced unproductive corporate retreats in the past. My role is to maintain the energy and discipline of the room, and I do not tolerate passengers.

When we hit a wall or energy dips, we do not ignore it. I use the strategic pause to reset the room. This is a deliberate cessation of activity that allows everyone to step back, clear their minds, and return with fresh focus.

If a team member is pushing back or showing resistance, we put it on the issues list and IDS® it. We address the root cause of the friction immediately. Often, skepticism stems from past organizational trauma where decisions were made but never executed. By showing them how the system drives real accountability and results, we turn skeptics into believers.

We also look at the conative makeup of the team. Using your Kolbe A profiles, I adapt my facilitation style to match how your leaders process information. This keeps the pacing productive and prevents unnecessary cognitive friction.