Last week I caught up with Rohan for our monthly coaching session, and our deep dive into his current ‘predicament’ took me right back to a time when I had found myself in exactly the same situation he is in today.
Rohan was quick to get down to business and tell me that he was really struggling to get the majority of his people to contribute to the team conversation. He’s currently responsible for a team of eight, two of which are “uber extroverts” while he referred to the remaining six as ‘quiet thinkers’ or the ‘just doers’ who pretty much never say a word in a team setting.
“How can I get them to speak up?”, he asked. “How do I encourage them not to hold back?”
As Rohan desperately sought answers to how to help his introverts not hold back from team discussions and to confidently share their thoughts as opposed to hiding in the shadows of their (far) more extroverted colleagues, I reflected on my own experience nearly 20 years ago.
I had been transferred to Hong Kong and inherited a team of 10. One of my team members was an American who had been living in Hong Kong for 15+ years and was certainly never afraid to speak his mind; another was Hong Kong born but had lived and studied in the UK and USA for 10+ years and liked to give her American colleague a run for his money. But the others were all local, exceptionally dedicated, but incredibly shy and literally afraid to speak up in front of their peers. At first I thought they were also afraid of me, but in a 1:1 setting each of them assured me this wasn’t the case. It was just the thought of speaking up in front of the team and sharing an opinion which mortified them.
Needless to say, I could completely relate to Rohan’s challenge, but having successfully brought all my Hong Kong introverted team members out of their shells, I also knew I had something to offer Rohan.
Introverts, often characterised as ‘quiet thinkers’, ‘observers’, or the ‘just doers’ can bring a wealth of valuable insights and creativity to any team.
However, their reserved nature sometimes leads them to hold back in team discussions, leaving their potential contribution completely untapped. As a leader, it’s crucial to create an environment where introverted team members feel comfortable expressing their thoughts and ideas.
Rohan certainly appreciated the fact that his introverted team members possess unique strengths that can greatly benefit his team’s problem solving capabilities; that they are diligent, dedicated hard workers who excel at deep thinking, active listening, and thoughtful analysis; and that by encouraging them to share their perspectives, he would be able to unlock a treasure trove of creativity and innovation.
Having said that, he was feeling overly despondent, frustrated, and was taking his situation far too personally believing that he had failed to create an inclusive team environment where all voices are heard and valued. It was certainly never his intention to let the noisy extroverts dominate conversations and control every meeting, and he was committed to balancing his team’s dynamic. After all, every team benefits from diversity, not just in terms of demographics but also in thought processes.
Introverts approach problems differently to extroverts, and their contributions can lead to more comprehensive and well-rounded solutions.
In teams dominated by extroverts, introverts can serve as a stabilising force, providing a measured and reflective approach, helping to prevent hasty decisions.
But as Rohan continued to explain, he was struggling to even get his introverted team members to speak up. And understanding why introverts may be hesitant to speak up is the first step toward encouraging their participation. At least this was my own personal lightbulb moment nearly two decades ago when I felt like I was supervising a library in Hong Kong as opposed to leading a group of highly competent professionals. The silence in team meetings was painful.
Many introverts may fear that their ideas will be dismissed or criticised, potentially leading to feelings of rejection or humiliation. For these team members, team meetings or larger group discussions can be overwhelming (or even terrifying). So, rather than facing the challenge of finding the right moment to interject, instead they choose to retract from the conversation completely.
As a leader, you have a pivotal role in creating an environment where your introverted team members feel empowered to speak up and share their insights and perspectives and not be constantly overshadowed by their more dominant extroverted peers.
I shared a few strategies with Rohan which, from personal experience, would hopefully encourage his introverts to speak up more.
Scheduling additional 1:1 meetings with your more introverted team members to allow them to discuss their thoughts and ideas will create a safe space for them to share without the pressure of the intimidating group setting. Having said that, you can’t eliminate team meetings altogether, but during your larger meetings you might want to think about breaking into smaller groups to facilitate more intimate discussions.
Remember, introverts typically feel more comfortable sharing their thoughts in smaller settings.
Another strategy is to encourage different team members, including those more introverted in the group, to take turns facilitating meetings or leading discussions. This empowers them to guide conversations and share their insights. If you decide to implement this tactic, it’s also important that you establish a “no interruptions” rule preventing the extroverts from interjecting and cutting off their introverted colleagues.
Address the elephant in the room and talk about the risk of groupthink in teams where only a few vocal individuals dominate discussions. Promote open dialogue to avoid the trap of unquestioned conformity. Above all, whenever possible, publicly recognise the contributions of introverted team members and highlight specific instances where their ideas or efforts make a positive impact.
Of course, you can offer specific training and development, or coaching opportunities focused on communication and public speaking skills, which can help introverts become more confident in expressing themselves. At the same time please remember that it may take time for introverted team members to become more comfortable speaking up in front of their peers. Be patient (and persistent) in your efforts to create an inclusive and welcoming environment.
As I explained to Rohan, by constantly applying these strategies, as a leader you can help your quiet team members become more confident and engaged.
Like Rohan, if you are a leader, continue to recognise the unique strengths of your introverted team members, understand and respect their personal barriers, but encourage them to speak up, contribute to the conversation, and share their valuable insights.
Remember, hellomonday can provide support to every leader, reinforcing habits through curated learning and impactful coaching, helping leaders can create an inclusive and innovative work environment where all voices are heard and valued.
