We have one highly competent leadership team member who is incredibly quiet and rarely participates during our full-day sessions. How do you draw them out without making them feel defensive or shutting them down completely?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

A quiet leadership team member is not necessarily a checked-out one, but full participation is required for a healthy EOS® implementation. During our full-day sessions, my role as your facilitator is to ensure every voice is heard. If someone is unusually quiet, I will actively pull them into the conversation by asking for their specific perspective on an issue, especially when it relates to their seat on the Accountability Chart. I do this without putting them on the spot defensively. Often, quiet team members are deep processors who prefer to think before they speak, so giving them space to articulate their thoughts is critical. However, if a team member remains completely disengaged or refuses to participate openly and honestly, it indicates a deeper issue with trust or alignment. My recommendation is to monitor their engagement during our sessions and address any persistent silence during our breaks or between sessions. If a leader cannot or will not participate in these strategic discussions, we must eventually evaluate whether they truly GWC™ their seat and belong on the leadership team.