Magnify the Quietest Voices on Your Team

Money, power, and influence often flow towards the loudest voices in an organization - but sometimes the quietest voices possess the best answers. Here are some ways to magnify the quiet voices.

1. Listen harder: By definition, the quietest voices are the hardest to hear. These people either aren't speaking up, or they are trying - but failing - to get their voices heard. Your first challenge is to resist your own tendency to be distracted by either your own agenda, the pressure of time, or your loudest colleagues.

Meet individually or in small groups with the quieter professionals. Do this in a supportive way; your objective is not to place additional pressure on them, but rather to give them more time to be heard.

Recognize that such people can be reluctant to express a strong opinion. I once had a colleague who used to walk out of meetings we had both attended and ask me if she overdid it. Her perception was that she was bold and direct in expressing her opinion; mine was that she barely spoke up at all.

The harder you work to listen, the more trust others will place in you. But this does not mean you can stop listening. Listening to the quietest voices will always be hard work.

2. Act on feedback: When quiet professionals dare to express their opinion, it's critical that you reinforce this behavior by showing them that doing so was worthwhile and productive.

Imagine that I am quiet and shy, but thanks to your patience and listening skills, I dare to share my advice regarding your current big project. If you implement the steps I suggested, I will see that you value my advice and that my voice was heard.

This makes me more likely to share my opinion with you next time.

If you don't agree with me, take the time to explain why and to reinforce that hearing my opinion helped you to come to a carefully-considered decision. Make me feel that confiding in you was a great decision.

3. Give credit in the form people prefer: When they do well, not everyone likes to be called on stage and slapped on the back. In fact, some people hate it.

But that does not mean that quiet people should never get credit for their achievements. The trick to bringing out the best in such people is to better understand what motivates them. Some might prefer written acknowledgement, such as an email to the group. Others might like a private acknowledgement. A few might only care about compensation.

Give credit in terms of work assignments and promotions. Many people care more about substance than style. They don't want credit, they simply want to spend more time doing the work from which they get the most satisfaction.

4. Choose team assignments carefully: Above all else, don't combine the loudest and quietest voices on your team in one work group. Doing so will simply waste the time and efforts of the quiet professionals.

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