Different people bring different rhythms, styles, and comfort levels to team discussions. Some need time to reflect. Others process by talking. Some speak up easily. Others hang back—even when they have something valuable to say.
If you want better decisions, you need all of their input. Here are three simple ways to design your meeting to hear from everyone:
1. Start with Silence
Before you open up the floor for discussion or brainstorming, give everyone 2–3 minutes to jot down their ideas or concerns on paper. This levels the playing field and gives slower processors or more reserved team members space to organize their thoughts.
Bonus: It also piques curiosity. People start wondering, “What did they write?”—and that curiosity often draws out quieter voices.
2. Offer More than One Way to Weigh in
Not everyone wants to speak in a group. Try these options:
- Invite input in advance
- Allow anonymous comments or questions (especially for bigger groups)
- Create a shared doc or Slack thread for async feedback
The goal isn’t to force everyone to speak—it’s to make sure they have a path to contribute.
3. Leave Space Between Input and Decision
You don’t have to resolve everything in one meeting. Set expectations like:
“We’ll gather input today and make the decision by end of day Friday.”
That gives people space to reflect, refine their thinking, and weigh in once they’ve had time to process.
🧠 Chiefs of Staff—Build these practices into your team’s operating rhythm.
Whether you’re running the meeting or supporting someone who is, you can introduce things like silent writing, async input, or structured reflection to make sure diverse thinking styles show up in the room—and in the decisions that follow.
