We have a few key managers who are not officially on the executive team but hold massive sway in our operations. How do we decide who gets a seat in our sessions with you and who stays out?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Choosing who sits in the session room is one of the most critical decisions we make before we begin. The rule of thumb is simple: only the true leadership team belongs in the room. This usually means three to seven people who run the major functions of your business.

We do not include people merely to make them feel important or to reward their loyalty. If you dilute the room with too many participants, your sessions will become sluggish and you will struggle to reach consensus on critical strategic decisions.

We use the concept of the Accountability Chart to define who should be present. We need the leaders who own the ultimate accountability for sales, operations, finance, and the Integrator and Visionary roles.

If you have a key manager who holds massive operational sway but does not sit on the executive team, we do not include them in the sessions. Instead, we focus on building a strong cascading communication plan to share our decisions and goals with them immediately after the session. Keeping the room small and focused ensures we can have the raw, high-altitude debates necessary to move the business forward.