The best meetings are not lead, they are facilitated.
Which one are you?
TALKER: The full-of-energy, out-loud-thinker and oversharer OR
THINKER: The wait-my-turn, (maybe) hesitant-to-speak-up, don’t-want-to just-speak for the sake of talking person.
To the TALKERS:
Just because you have an idea, doesn’t mean it needs to be shared. Try passing the spotlight to someone else:
“What do you think, (name)?”
“I’d like to hear reactions from three people about this.”
Write your thoughts down. Decide what is most important to share. And then consider going last.
To the THINKERS:
You have valuable insights and the team will benefit from you. You need a way to get your listeners prepped, carve out a space.
“I have a thought.”
“I have an idea.”
“I have a concern.”
“I have a question.”
The best leaders are facilitators, and you can work to develop these skills, whether you are a talker or a thinker.
Which one are you? What other strategies would you add?