“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” – Helen Keller
As an external consultant, I get to work with all sorts of teams across different industries. Time and again, I notice the same pattern: The highest-performing teams are the ones that create an environment where every individual's voice is not just tolerated, but actively encouraged and valued.
Too many teams operate in a way that unintentionally silences quieter members or suppresses dissenting perspectives. Important decisions get made by a vocal few while the rest of the group stays on the sidelines, heads nodding along despite their reservations or unexplored ideas. Quiet ideas don't get heard.
When I encounter teams stuck in that rut, I advise the leaders to consciously flip the script. Rather than acting as the sole authority who dictates the agenda, become an orchestrator who amplifies all the voices in the room - especially the contrarians and quieter folks.
In your next team meeting, start by asking an open-ended question like "What are we missing here? What can we do better?" Then remain silent and listen. Resist the urge to start elaborating on your own point of view until everyone else has had a chance to weigh in. Ask for clarification, demonstrate your curiosity and you might be amazed at the fresh perspectives and creative solutions that emerge.
As the leader, it's your job to create a judgment-free zone where teammates feel safe voicing potentially unpopular opinions. Actively demonstrate that you value candor and contrarian viewpoints over blind agreement. Because groupthink has no place in an innovative team setting. As a leader, I found "we" was smarter than just "me".
Building an inclusive, participative culture is an ongoing process, not something you nail in one workshop. But the payoff is huge. When everyone feels empowered to speak up, you're tapping into your team's collective intelligence and creativity. And that's what unlocks your boldest, most innovative work.
How do you create the space and place where its safe for all to ideate? Share and let's learn together.
My late father was an engineer. In the 60’s and 1970’s this was his mantra to his engineers the one "What are we missing here?” was his favourite.
He wanted them to look beyond the initial solution and to make sure they had considered all the options to make sure as he said. As engineers we may be missing something blazingly obvious that imperils our design and how it works.
He encouraged them to look at how the design and the product could fail. If they couldn’t he said that all human designs have flaws because sometimes a design is a compromise just make sure yours doesn’t kill someone.
I’ve used the phrase when I’m doing lessons learned retrospectives and as you say keep silent. Sometimes it’s the silence that encourages human beings to fill the vacuum even if it is left field.