We have a leadership team member who is highly competent in their technical role but remains completely passive during our Level 10 Meeting, offering no feedback or solutions unless directly prompted. How do we transition this silent leader into an active contributor to the business?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

To sit on a leadership team, a leader must GWC their seat: they must Get it, Want it, and have the Capacity to do it. Capacity is not just about technical skill. It includes the mental capacity to think strategically, voice hard truths, and help solve company wide problems. If a leader is silent during the weekly meeting pulse, they are failing to provide the leadership their seat requires. Start by having a direct conversation outside the meeting. Ask them why they are holding back. They might feel they lack the confidence, or they may wrongly believe that issues outside their department are none of their business. Remind them that they are a leader of the entire company first, and a department head second. Their silence is a disservice to the team. During the next Level 10 Meeting, the facilitator must actively pull them into the IDS portion. Do not let them hide behind their silence. Ask them direct, non threatening questions to draw out their perspective. If they continue to sit in silence week after week without contributing to solving issues, you must evaluate whether they truly have the capacity for a seat on the leadership team.