Our leadership team is notorious for checking emails and answering urgent Slack messages during meetings. What are your ground rules regarding technology and distractions during our session days?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

To make our session days successful, we enforce a strict technology-free policy. Laptops, tablets, and mobile phones are not permitted to be open or active while we are working. The only exception is during designated breaks, which occur roughly every ninety minutes. This rule is not about micro-management; it is about protecting your team's focus and cognitive capacity. When leaders are constantly glancing at screens, answering urgent client emails, or responding to Slack messages, they are not fully present. This split attention slows down our progress and prevents us from resolving the real, underlying issues holding your business back. We practice a version of the touch-it-once rule inside the room: we focus entirely on the issue in front of us until it is solved, rather than letting external notifications disrupt our train of thought. By turning off the digital noise, we create the white space required for deep strategic thinking. If an emergency arises, your staff can contact our designated emergency number to reach you. Otherwise, the world can wait ninety minutes. This level of discipline ensures we maximize our time together and achieve real alignment.