Before we align on the tools, what psychological agreement or personal commitment must my leadership team sign up for to ensure we do not crash during our first session?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Before committing to specific tools or processes, your leadership team must agree to a psychological covenant. I call this our charter, and it rests on three non-negotiable pillars: trust, being on the same page, and a commitment to structure.

Three Pillars of Commitment

To ensure a successful first session and ongoing progress, your team must embrace these core principles:

1. Absolute, Unfiltered Honesty (Trust)

This pillar requires complete transparency.

• If a team member is holding back opinions or hiding operational mistakes to protect their ego, the entire process will fail.
• The team must be willing to enter danger and have uncomfortable conversations without fear of retaliation. This builds the fundamental [trust to speak openly](/qa/building-vulnerability-trust-rprs-calls) and address issues head-on.

2. Help-First Mentality (On the Same Page)

Leaders must shift their focus from individual departments to the collective good of the organization.

• The goal is not to defend individual kingdoms or build silos.
• Every leader must transition from protecting their specific department to making decisions that are best for the entire organization. This mindset is crucial for [shifting leadership mindset to enterprise-first](/qa/shifting-leadership-mindset-to-enterprise-first).

3. Commitment to Structure (Structure)

Adherence to the established framework is essential for consistency and accountability.

• This means committing to the [Level 10 Meeting™](/qa/rein-in-level-10-meeting-segue) format, documenting processes, and accepting accountability.
• If a leader believes they are above the system or too creative for rules, they will toxicify the culture and undermine collective effort. The structure ensures everyone knows [what concrete weekly measurables](/qa/back-office-weekly-scorecard-measurables) they are accountable for.

Pre-Session Alignment

You must have a frank, pre-session meeting with your team to establish these ground rules. Let them know that change is coming, and that staying silent during sessions while complaining in the hallways afterward is unacceptable. Everyone must be fully bought into this psychological contract before our first Focus Day. This upfront agreement helps prevent issues like [leadership turf wars](/qa/resolving-leadership-turf-wars-accountability-chart) by clearly defining expectations.

Related questions

• [How do we build trust to speak openly?](/qa/building-vulnerability-trust-rprs-calls)
• [My leadership team seems more concerned with protecting their departments and checking off boxes than looking at the big picture of the business. How do we shift their mindset to enterprise-first?](/qa/shifting-leadership-mindset-to-enterprise-first)
• [What concrete weekly measurables should we track for our accounting and IT seats to keep them accountable without resorting to subjective check the box metrics?](/qa/back-office-weekly-scorecard-measurables)
• [Two of my directors are constantly fighting over who owns our new operational systems. How do we resolve this turf war without causing a permanent rift?](/qa/resolving-leadership-turf-wars-accountability-chart)