We have a few key department heads we want to groom for future leadership. Can we bring them as observers into our quarterly sessions, or must it strictly be the core leadership team?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

No, you should not bring observers or middle managers into your quarterly sessions. These session days are strictly reserved for the core leadership team of the company. Having observers in the room, even if they remain completely silent, fundamentally alters the dynamic of the meeting. The core leadership team must be able to speak with absolute honesty, debate intensely, and solve sensitive organizational issues without worrying about how their words are being interpreted by spectators. Introducing observers creates a performative environment where people hold back, self-censor, or try to manage impressions. This defeats the purpose of the open and honest environment required to run EOS. If you want to groom your department heads for future leadership, the correct approach is to implement the tools within your department levels first. Let them run their own departmental Level 10 Meeting, own their departmental Rocks, and gain experience in their seats. Once the leadership team has mastered the tools and graduated, you can then begin cascade training to roll the operating system down to those managers. Keep the session room sacred for the leadership team so you can do the heavy lifting required to run the company.