We have one incredibly dominant personality on our leadership team who commands every discussion and silences other opinions, leading to a team that just nods along to avoid their wrath. How do we rebalance the team dynamic so everyone actually contributes and we stop letting one person run the show?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

A dominant personality who hijacks discussions is a major threat to a healthy leadership team. When one voice drowns out the rest, you lose the collective intelligence of your team, and your other leaders will quickly disengage.

To fix this, you must actively manage the dynamic during your Level 10 Meetings. As the leader, it is your job to facilitate, not just participate. When the dominant leader begins to take over, politely but firmly interrupt them. Thank them for their input, and then redirect the conversation by asking quieter team members for their specific thoughts.

You also need to address this behavior outside of the meeting. Have a private, one-on-one conversation with the dominant individual. Frame it around their leadership growth. Explain that their intensity, while valuable, is shutting down the rest of the team and preventing the company from getting the best ideas.

Ask them to practice active listening and to be the last person to speak on any given issue. If they genuinely GWC their seat and care about the team, they will adjust their approach to allow space for others to contribute.