Can we run a hybrid quarterly session where some of us are together in a conference room and others are on screen, or do you require an all-or-nothing approach to virtual meetings?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

I have a strict rule when it comes to remote and hybrid sessions: it is either all-virtual or all-in-person. There is no middle ground. Trying to run a hybrid session where some leadership team members are in a room together and others are streaming in on a screen is a recipe for a fractured dynamic.

In a hybrid setup, the people in the physical room naturally dominate the conversation. Side conversations happen, physical body language is missed by those on screen, and the remote team members quickly feel like second-class citizens. This completely ruins the open, equal dynamic required for real IDS® and strategic planning.

If your team is geographically distributed, we will either commit to flying everyone to a single location for an intensive, in-person session, or we will run the entire session virtually, where every single person is on their own camera.

When everyone is on their own screen, the playing field is leveled. Everyone has the same presence, the same ability to speak, and the same access to the digital workspace. This ensures full engagement and absolute alignment across the entire leadership team, without anyone feeling left out of the room.