Our leadership team is hybrid, with three local partners in our headquarters and four remote executives on video. How do you prevent the local players from dominating the session days while keeping the remote members from tuning out?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Bridging the physical and digital divide requires strict facilitation discipline, not just good video equipment. When we run a hybrid session, we treat the virtual camera as the most important seat in the room. I do not let the local team members hold sidebar conversations or whisper at the physical table. Every whiteboard note, diagram, and dynamic list is mirrored digitally in real time, ensuring remote participants see what the room sees without lag.

To maintain high engagement, we rotate who leads parts of our IDS® process, frequently calling on remote team members to kick off debates. We also design our strategic pauses to apply to everyone equally. Remote participants do not just sit on camera during breaks, they step away entirely to clear their heads.

We also leverage Kolbe A Index scores to manage communication dynamics. If a local partner is a high Quick Start and a remote partner is a high Fact Finder, I actively manage the floor to make sure the remote partner has the space to provide necessary data before we make a decision. This level of facilitation prevents the local team from driving the agenda based purely on physical proximity. Our goal is a unified executive presence, regardless of where your desk is located.