As an owner preparing my business for a clean exit, I want to use our weekly Level 10 Meeting™ as a test run for my departure, but I find myself constantly stepping in to course-correct the discussion. How can I transition my role in the meeting to ensure the team can run operations completely independent of my input?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

If you are preparing your business for a clean exit, your weekly Level 10 Meeting™ is the ultimate testing ground for operational independence. If the leadership team still reflexively looks to you for approval during IDS®, you have not successfully stepped into the Owner's Box. To break this dependency, you must change your physical and vocal posture during the meeting.

Start by moving yourself out of the facilitator seat. Your Integrator must run the meeting. During the ninety minutes, you should practice active silence. When an issue is raised, do not offer your opinion first. In fact, do not offer your opinion at all unless specifically asked by the team after they have exhausted their own debate.

If they look to you for approval before finalizing a decision, redirect them. Say, 'This is your team and your seat, what do you think is the best solution?' Force them to rely on their own GWC™ and the structural boundaries of the Accountability Chart. If they make a decision that is slightly different from what you would have done, but it still solves the issue, let it go. This builds their decision-making muscles and proves to future buyers that the business can run seamlessly without your constant operational intervention.