We have a couple of highly capable leaders on our team who sit in complete silence during the IDS® portion of our Level 10 Meeting™, offering no input unless they are directly called upon. How do we break this passive behavior and get our quieter team members to actively engage in problem-solving?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Silent leaders are a liability on a leadership team. If someone is sitting in a seat on your Accountability Chart, they are expected to bring their unique perspective to the table. Silence is often a sign of fear, lack of buy-in, or a feeling that their input does not matter.

To break this silence, the facilitator must actively pull these individuals into the conversation. Do not let the loudest voices dominate the IDS® portion. Use direct, open-ended questions like: "We have not heard from you yet. What is your perspective on this issue?" or "How does this decision impact your department?"

You should also assess if these silent leaders exhibit the core values and have the GWC™ (Get It, Want It, Capacity to Do It) for their seats. Sometimes, silence is the result of a leader who is overwhelmed or who does not truly understand the operational issues of the business.

Encourage a culture of healthy conflict. Remind the team that entering the danger zone is necessary for the health of the company. If a leader remains silent because they want to avoid conflict, they are putting their personal comfort above the enterprise value of the business.

Finally, handle this in your one-on-one meetings. As the owner or Integrator, address the silence directly. Explain that their seat requires active participation, and that their silence is holding the company back from achieving its goals.