How to Address Team Silence

How to speak up when it feels safer not to. 10 ways to challenge with respect. You’ve been in this meeting. A senior team gathers to discuss a big decision. Someone says something that doesn’t sit right. Everyone notices. Everyone hesitates. And then... silence. Because speaking up feels risky. But staying silent? That costs even more. After decades in these rooms, here’s what I’ve learned: 1) If you don’t speak up, people assume you agree. → Silence doesn’t protect you—it defines you. → Say: “I see it differently—can I explain why?” 2) Being first is uncomfortable. → But it opens the door for others to follow. → Ask: “Is anyone else thinking about it differently?” 3) You teach people how to treat you. → Every “sure” tells them their idea is fine. → Try: “I don’t love that direction—here’s why.” 4) Disagreeing isn’t disrespectful. → Tone matters more than opinion. → Say: “Would it be okay if I offered a pushback?” 5) Fake harmony blocks real solutions. → If no one disagrees, nothing gets better. → Try: “I wonder what we’re not saying yet?” 6) Credibility builds real influence. → People listen to who earns their respect. → Build it by asking smart questions. 7) Silence sends a message, even if you didn’t mean to. → People assume you're on board. → Say: “I have another take -- can I share it?” 8) You don’t need everyone to agree. → But you do need to speak clearly. → Say what you mean in one sentence, then pause. 9) You don’t need a title to lead. → Trust is built by what you do, not what you have. → Be the steady voice people rely on when it counts. 10) People remember who spoke when they couldn’t. → Your voice might be the one they needed. → That’s leadership. 💬 If you don’t say it, no one will. ✅ Speak with purpose. ✅ Challenge with respect. ✅ Lead with credibility, not just a title. You don’t have to take over the room. You just have to move it forward. What’s one phrase or approach you use to challenge with respect? Please share 👇 ______________________ ♻ Repost to remind someone that quiet isn’t always safe. 👉Follow Stephanie Eidelman (Meisel) for more ways to grow your visibility and influence at work. 📫 Subscribe to my free newsletter, The Career Edit, for tools to lead with confidence: https://hubs.la/Q03dY9_n0

I used to struggle to share my ideas in meetings bustling with dominant voices. Not because I was scared, but because I never felt comfortable. Ouch. My seniors and peers often told me: "Speak up, have a presence, be bold!" Well-intentioned advice. But the brutal truth was that I didn’t feel psychologically safe. So when I took on the role of a people manager, I became the leader I needed. I took on a mission to create a safe space where every team member could share their brilliance, their quirks, their questions, their doubts and feel heard. Here are 3 rarely-used strategies I adopted: ✅ Silent brainstorming: I replaced vocal discussions with written ideas; preventing the loudest voice from dominating. We'd share our thoughts by ideating in silence and voting together.🚀 The best part? No one knew whose idea was winning, leveling the playing field for diverse perspectives. ✅One-pagers for every meeting: People process information differently. To include everyone, I ensured every meeting had a one-pager for context and a list of attendees. This way, team members could prepare in their own way, and those who felt their presence wasn't essential could choose to opt-out. ✅ Mini Workshops > Meetings: These mini workshops were designed to encourage deep thinking, collaborative brainstorming, and silent reflection. Everyone had their moment to shine. We always left with 1-3 actionable takeaways — co-created and ready for implementation. 🚀 In the end, it wasn't about changing my personality; it was about embracing it and finding innovative ways to lead effectively. 💪 By creating a safe space for my team, I not only unlocked their potential but also learned the true power of silence in a world that often favors the loudest voices. What do you think about this leadership style? #leadership #product #teammanagement #womenintech #productmanagement #productmanager