My leadership team is running their Level 10 Meeting sessions well, but when they hit a tough strategic issue, they immediately look to me to make the final call rather than solving it as peers. How do I break this pattern?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

If your leadership team constantly defers to you, you have trained them to do so. Every time you step in to break a tie or provide the final answer, you reinforce their dependence and prevent them from building true peer-to-peer trust.

To break this pattern, you must physically and mentally step back. When an issue is raised during the IDS® portion of your Level 10 Meeting™, do not speak first. In fact, make it a rule that you speak last, or not at all.

When they look to you for a decision, mirror the question back to them. Ask the team what they believe the right solution is based on your V/TO® and core values. Force them to debate the issue amongst themselves. If they are on the Same Page with your vision, they have the tools to make the decision.

Remind them of the Accountability Chart. Every seat has defined roles and accountabilities. The person who sits in the accountable seat must own the final decision for that domain. If it is an enterprise-wide issue, the Integrator must lead the team to a resolution, not you.

Your job in the Owner's Box is to ensure they are following the agreed-upon strategy and structure. Trust your team to run the business. If they make a mistake, use it as a learning opportunity during your quarterly review. Allowing them to fail occasionally is the only way they will ever build the confidence to lead without you.