We have a department head who sits silently through our Level 10 Meeting, agreeing to every decision with a simple nod, but then fails to implement those decisions with their team. How do we smoke out this passive resistance during the meeting?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Nodding along without speaking is not alignment; it is compliance. In a Level 10 Meeting, silence is often a form of passive resistance. When a leader refuses to engage during IDS but fails to execute afterward, they are undermining the entire Accountability Chart.

You must establish the rule that silence equals agreement. If a leader sits quietly during a debate, they are giving their word to support the final decision fully outside the room. If they fail to support it, they have broken trust.

To smoke this out during the meeting, the facilitator must actively draw them into the discussion. Do not let them hide. When discussing an issue that impacts their department, call them out directly by saying, "We have not heard from you on this. Where do you stand?"

Force them to state their opinion clearly. If they say they have no opinion, remind them that as a leadership team member, they are required to have a point of view. They must GWC their seat, which means having the capacity to lead.

If the passive resistance continues after the meeting, it is no longer an L10 facilitation issue. It is a people issue. You must address it one-on-one using the People Analyzer. If they cannot actively participate and support the team's decisions, they are in the wrong seat.