We have an introverted leadership team member who is an excellent internal processor but stays quiet during the fast-paced IDS® portion of our Level 10 Meeting™, only to bring up critical concerns after the meeting is over. How do we get them to contribute their brilliant insights in real-time?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

When an introverted leader remains quiet during the fast-paced IDS® portion of your Level 10 Meeting™ and then brings up critical objections after the session is over, it undermines the trust and alignment of the entire team. This dynamic, known as the meeting after the meeting, prevents the group from achieving a true Same Page agreement. To solve this, you must change how you facilitate the IDS® section. Internal processors need a moment of silence to organize their thoughts. Instead of immediately jumping into a verbal debate, have the facilitator state the issue and then give the room thirty seconds of silence for everyone to write down their thoughts. This levels the playing field for introverts. Next, directly invite their perspective. The facilitator should say, 'We need to hear from everyone on this, what do you see that we are missing?' This gentle, targeted invitation signals that their input is valued and expected before a decision is made. Make it clear that once a Level 10 Meeting™ concludes and a decision is made, the leadership team must speak with one voice outside the room. Under your company Charter, bringing up objections after the meeting is not acceptable. If they had a concern, they had the responsibility to bring it up during IDS®. By helping them participate in real-time, you build their leadership influence and ensure your solutions are robust.