Recently I found out that I’m a bit of a crockpot and can be a quiet voice when I am not confident about the subject of conversation. That doesn’t mean I don’t have thoughts and ideas. It merely means I’m not always johnny on the spot to speak up. I know I have left some rooms without sharing some valuable information. I regret not speaking up.
I also regret knowing that I’ve had some crockpots in meetings, and I didn’t do anything strategic to get their voice in the room. Because what comes out of crockpots is usually pretty good if you give them the time to cook. The work generated is richer when all voices are heard.
So here are a few strategies to safely invite crockpots and quiet voices into the room.
- Round Robin: This method gives everyone a chance to speak in an orderly fashion. It provides your crockpots with a few moments to marinate on an idea before being asked to share if done strategically. Simply state the question, each person is invited to answer systematically. You control which person starts answering, and you control the passing direction. Add a safety layer by stating each person is invited to speak and welcome to say pass during their turn. Everyone gets an equal chance to speak and gain confidence because the ice is broken.
- Stack It Up: Pay attention to who has spoken when facilitating your meeting. If there are quiet voices. State that you would like to hear from Person A, B, C. State the question again. Invite Person A to answer, followed by asking B, C. By announcing your intentions, people are given time to prepare their answers. As always, make it know that they may pass when it is their turn.
- Small Groups: Break a large group into smaller subgroups. Lacking confidence addressing large groups is negated in smaller groups. Ideas generated in smaller groups is reported out to the larger group. Your quiet voice is now in the room.
- Coaching: Begin your meeting with agreements or ground rules. If you have a particular group with some very vocal participants and some who are as quiet as a church mouse, introduce the “Step Up, Step Back,” idea. This simply means people should consider their method of participation. If you are more vocal, consider stepping back; if you are typically quiet, step up. It brings attitude and participation into focus for the whole group.
Contact me to discuss facilitating your next action or strategic planning meeting.
