Our remote Level 10 Meetings seem to suffer from silent multitasking where team members are secretly answering Slack messages or reviewing client files. How do we stop remote side-channeling and regain full focus?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Remote Level 10 Meetings are highly susceptible to silent multitasking. When team members are secretly answering Slack messages or reviewing client files during the meeting, you lose the collective intelligence required for effective IDS (Identify, Discuss, Solve).

To stop remote side-channeling and regain full focus, implement a combination of strict digital hygiene and interactive meeting practices.

Digital Hygiene Policy

Establish a clear policy to minimize distractions and encourage full engagement.

• Require video cameras to be on: All participants must have their video cameras turned on. This makes it easier to observe engagement levels.
• Position cameras at eye level: Encourage team members to position their cameras so that their eyes are visible and at eye level. This helps reveal when someone is looking at another screen or typing extensively.
• Implement a zero-tech side-channel rule: Declare specific communication channels off-limits for the duration of the meeting. This means Slack, Teams, email, and other communication tools are prohibited during the ninety minutes.
• Facilitator must call it out: If the facilitator suspects side-channeling, they must address it immediately and directly. Do not be polite; clarity is key. For example, "I see a lot of typing that does not match our current agenda item. Let us all close our browser tabs."

Boost Meeting Interaction

Beyond enforcing rules, make the meeting so engaging that there's no mental space for distractions. A highly interactive Level 10 Meeting naturally combats multitasking.

• Rotate active roles: Instead of having one person (often the facilitator) share their screen and do all the typing, rotate responsibility.
• Shared document ownership: Different team members can be responsible for sharing the meeting document.
• Agenda section lead: Assign different people to walk through specific sections of the agenda. For instance, have the owner of each Scorecard metric share their numbers, which can also help prevent issues like a manager explaining away a [red scorecard metric](/qa/handling-defensiveness-around-red-scorecard-metrics).
• Issue documentation: When an Issue is being discussed, have the person who brought it up or the owner of the solution type the notes.

When everyone is actively engaged in tracking the numbers, updating lists, and discussing issues, there is no mental space left for distraction. This active participation also fosters greater accountability, a crucial aspect often discussed in the context of [Accountability Chart issues](/qa/filter-meeting-transcripts-accountability-chart-ai) or when discussing [how the Integrator handles a disagreement](/qa/visionary-integrator-deadlock-resolution) within the leadership team. Ensuring a tight agenda and focused discussion is also key to avoiding common pitfalls, such as a [segue running too long](/qa/rein-in-level-10-meeting-segue).