We have a highly competent leader on our team who rarely contributes during our Level 10 Meeting IDS sessions, usually just nodding along or saying they agree with whatever the loudest person says. How do we get this passive leader to actively engage in problem-solving?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

A leader who quietly nods along during IDS® is not truly participating. They are practicing passive consensus, which is dangerous because it hides underlying disagreements and deprives the team of valuable expertise. To run a healthy Level 10 Meeting™, you need every brain in the game.

First, check if they are in the right seat on your Accountability Chart. Do they truly GWC™ (Get It, Want It, Capacity to do It) their role? If they do, their silence is likely a habit or a fear of conflict, not a lack of capability.

To break this silence, the facilitator must actively pull them into the discussion. Stop asking open-ended questions to the entire room. Instead, target them directly during the Identify and Discuss phases. Use phrases like, "We have not heard from you on this issue yet, what is your perspective?" or "Based on your seat, what do you see as the root cause of this problem?"

If they attempt to give a generic "I agree with everyone else" response, challenge them. Ask them to explain why they agree or what specific risks they see with the proposed solution. By consistently requiring their input, you will signal that silence is not an option on a high-performing leadership team.