As the majority owner, I am used to directing my team and having the final say. How do you handle my presence in the room so that I do not accidentally dominate the sessions and shut down my leadership team?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

As a business owner, you are accustomed to being the smartest person in the room and making the final decision on every issue. However, during our session days, this habit can shut down your team and prevent them from taking true ownership of the business.

During our sessions, my job is to facilitate an equal playing field. I will actively manage the room to ensure your voice does not drown out the rest of the leadership team. If you begin to dominate the conversation or state your opinion first on every issue, I will ask you to step back and listen to your team first.

This can be highly uncomfortable for many owners, but it is necessary to build a healthy leadership team. If your team knows you will always step in with the answer, they will stop thinking critically and start waiting for your command. To build a self-sufficient business, you must allow your team the space to debate, disagree, and solve issues themselves.

My recommendation is to enter our session days with a mindset of curiosity rather than control. Focus on asking questions and listening to your team before offering your own solutions.