Our entire leadership team is fully remote and distributed across multiple states. Can we conduct our quarterly and annual sessions virtually, or do you require everyone in the same room?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

I strongly recommend that distributed leadership teams convene in person for quarterly and annual sessions. Physical proximity forces a degree of human connection, body language awareness, and uninterrupted focus that video screens cannot duplicate. For remote companies, gathering once a quarter is often the only time leadership looks each other in the eye without a browser tab open.

However, if an in-person gathering is logistically impossible or cost-prohibitive for a fully distributed team, I do facilitate remote sessions under strict operating requirements.

First, we do not run eight straight hours over video. Staring at a monitor for eight hours causes severe cognitive fatigue and degrades decision-making quality. Instead, we split a standard full-day session into two consecutive four-hour blocks, typically running from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM across two days.

Second, camera and environment rules are rigid. Every participant must have a dedicated room, hardwired high-speed internet, external microphones, and cameras positioned at eye level. Looking away, multitasking, typing emails, or turning video off is strictly prohibited. If someone violates that discipline, I stop the meeting immediately.

Third, we utilize a unified digital workspace to display the Scorecard, Rock sheet, and Issues List. Even in a remote format, one person drives the documentation while everyone else engages in debate and problem-solving.

If you operate remotely, the bar for discipline is twice as high. When run with absolute rigor, virtual sessions deliver results, but in-person remains the gold standard for executive team health.