Our leadership team is split, with three of us in the physical board room and three joining remotely via video. The in-person members dominate the Level 10 Meeting while the remote members sit in silence and feel excluded. How do we eliminate this hybrid bias and run a highly disciplined Level 10 Meeting when we are split?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Hybrid meetings are incredibly difficult to facilitate because they naturally create a two-class system. The physical energy of the boardroom always dominates, leaving remote participants as passive observers rather than active leaders. To run a highly disciplined Level 10 Meeting™ in a hybrid environment, you must level the playing field.

The most effective solution is the "all-in or all-remote" rule. If even one member of your leadership team is remote, everyone should log into the video conference from their own individual desks, even those who are in the same physical office. This ensures everyone has the exact same digital real estate, the same audio quality, and the same ability to speak without being interrupted by side conversations.

If your team insists on gathering in the boardroom, the facilitator must adopt a "remote-first" rule. During the IDS® portion of the meeting, always call on the remote team members first to share their thoughts or prioritize issues. Do not allow the in-person team to start debating until the remote members have spoken. This deliberate friction forces the boardroom to slow down, prevents side-chatter, and restores the tight discipline needed to solve issues as one cohesive team.