Tammy is a co-facilitator of the CFO’s Leadership Program, which will be held virtually in May and in person in September (Whistler). She will also be returning as a facilitator for CPABC’s Women in Leadership Certificate Program. Visit our PD website for details.
Have you ever noticed how some individuals consistently speak up in meetings, are quick to join group conversations, and appear more engaged in group dynamics overall? Meanwhile, there are others who rarely say a word. Is it possible that some employees truly have nothing to say or are so disengaged they would willingly embrace an environment of silence? It’s possible—but it’s not probable.
Leaders often ask me, “How can I get people to participate and contribute more?” I advise them that the opportunity lies not in changing how people behave but in creating the space for a broader range of communication styles and preferences. If you’re consistently hearing from the same people only, it may indicate that the structures in place at your organization are more conducive to their preferred communication style.
One of the simplest ways to create space for different voices is by embracing the power of silence—this means increasing the wait time between asking a question and receiving a response. The “wait time” concept stems from research on education conducted in the late 1960s and early 1970s.1 Researcher Mary Budd Rowe found that when science teachers gave elementary school students more than a second (the average wait time) to respond to questions, there were positive results for teachers and students alike—including greater engagement. Budd’s theory has since been applied to many other settings.
Even without the research, I think most of us would agree that we should give people more than one second to hear a question, decipher what they think it means, and compose an answer. And yet, so often we wait only one to three seconds before restating our question or offering an answer. Why do we do this?
Some of it probably comes down to a lack of awareness—we may think we’re giving people longer to respond than we actually are. And some of it undoubtedly has to do with the fact that silence is often awkward.2 It may be particularly daunting to hear that wait times should be extended to 10 seconds (or more, when factoring in complexities such as language barriers, different cultural norms, and the fear of public speaking). But if you want to unlock the power of unheard voices, you need to push through the discomfort.
Here’s my suggestion to mitigate awkwardness: At the start of each meeting, acknowledge that there may be a natural discomfort with silence. Let your team know that silence is just people thinking, and you’re comfortable waiting to hear their ideas. For the first few questions, it may even take longer than 10 seconds for individuals to reply—they may be testing you to see if you’ll actually wait. But if you stick it out, your team will know that you’re sincere in your desire to hear from them, and you should see participation start to increase.
When considering how people process their ideas, it’s also important to recognize those who think by talking. They are often the ones who jump in quickly when a question is asked. They may take a slightly more circuitous route to reach their point, but they do get there—if given the space to do so.
Realistically, most meetings today don’t serve either group well.
So, to make team meetings more welcoming of all voices, I suggest making a few adjustments:
- Send the agenda for your next team meeting in advance. Clearly outline the topics for discussion and, if decisions are to be made, the nature of the decisions and the information to be considered.
- During meetings, allow for a moment of individual reflection before opening the floor to group discussions. Those who think by speaking may not love this, but those who need time to process will be very appreciative!
- Look for opportunities to facilitate discussions in pairs or small groups of no more than four. Ask specific groups for feedback in an order that allows different people to contribute at different points in the meeting. Many people may feel uncomfortable speaking in larger groups, but almost everyone will feel comfortable contributing to groups of four or fewer.
- Start a discussion by allowing for anonymous sharing through an online poll or similar. The online platform Mentimeter is a personal favourite of mine, but there are many other tools that can support this type of anonymous idea sharing. An added bonus is that links can easily be shared with a QR code, making these tools work for in-person, online, or hybrid meetings.
From identifying risk to uncovering creative and innovative solutions, there is tremendous power in ensuring that you hear the authentic voices of all your employees. If you want to hear from all team members, you need to create an environment that allows individuals to communicate in ways that work for them. In short: The opportunity lies in changing your structure—not your people!
Tammy Towill, FPCA, FCMA, is a partner in the Cordura Group and a faculty member with the School of Business at Capilano University. She has worked with private and public sector companies throughout North America and Europe for over 25 years, providing education, training, and facilitation in the areas of leadership, strategy, business planning, and curriculum development and implementation. Tammy is also active in governance and served as co-chair of CPABC’s inaugural board of directors.
This article was originally published in the March/April 2025 issue of CPABC in Focus.
Footnotes
1 Mary Budd Rowe, Wait-Time and Rewards as Instructional Variables: Their Influence on Language, Logic, and Fate Control, 1972.
2 Bobby Powers, “Unlock the Power of Silence: Why Less Talking Equals More Clarity,” Learning to Lead, LinkedIn, July 25, 2024.
