We run our Level 10 Meetings remotely, and while cameras are on, it is obvious that team members are constantly answering Slack messages, checking emails, or working on other tasks during IDS. How do we kill this remote multi-tasking and regain total focus?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Multi-tasking during a remote Level 10 Meeting™ is a symptom of a larger accountability issue. When people check Slack or respond to emails, they are telling you that the meeting has lost its value or that they do not feel responsible for the issues being discussed. To kill this distraction, you must establish a strict ground rule: one screen, one focus. First, mandate that all personal notifications, email clients, and messaging apps must be closed before the meeting starts. If someone needs to take an urgent call, they must declare it at the start. Second, change how you run the IDS® portion. Remote disengagement happens because one or two people dominate the discussion while the rest sit back. As the facilitator, you must actively draw silent team members into the conversation. Ask them direct questions about the issue on the table, even if it is outside their department. Third, enforce the standard that everyone must keep their hands visible on camera. It sounds simple, but if hands are on the keyboard, they are usually typing a message, not taking notes. Finally, if the behavior persists, the Integrator must address it directly. The weekly meeting pulse relies on high-energy, collective focus. If a leader cannot commit ninety minutes of uninterrupted attention to their team, they are failing to live up to their role on the Accountability Chart. Call out the behavior immediately, put a to-do on their list to resolve the distraction, and hold them to the ninety percent standard of presence.