One of our leadership team members sits through our weekly Level 10 Meeting™ completely silent, claiming they are an internal processor who needs time to digest information before speaking. How do we get this leader to contribute in real time without slowing down our ninety-minute pace?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Processing internally is a valid cognitive style, but in a fast-growing business running on EOS®, silence during the weekly pulse is a liability. Your Level 10 Meeting™ is a ninety-minute execution engine, not a lecture. If a leader sits in silence, they are not bringing their unique ability to the table, and they are failing to help the team solve critical issues.

To fix this, the facilitator must change how they engage this leader. First, establish that preparation is not optional. If a leader needs time to process, they must review the scorecard, Rock progress, and the Issues List before the meeting starts. They cannot walk in cold.

Second, use direct extraction during the IDS® portion of the meeting. Do not wait for them to volunteer. When discussing an issue that touches their area or requires their expertise, the facilitator should call on them directly by asking what their specific perspective is.

Third, have a candid, offline conversation. Verify if they truly GWC™ their seat on the Accountability Chart®. A leader who cannot or will not participate in real-time problem-solving may be in the wrong seat. Remind them that their team needs their voice during the meeting, not hours later in a one-on-one email. If they still refuse to speak, you have an accountability issue that needs to be solved.