Quiet Doesn’t Mean Less
In many businesses, companies, and organizations, loud = leadership. But what if the quietest voices have the most insight to bring to the team? What if by not giving space for those quieter voices, you’re missing valuable perspectives and contributions that could lead to better decisions?
Your quiet team members are making observations that are often overlooked by others. They can bring wisdom to your work and projects that others often miss. Wisdom that only surfaces in stillness and deeper reflection.
Introverts and Highly Sensitive Persons (HSPs) bring all of this to your team – if given the right environment. When was the last time a quieter team member surprised you with a powerful insight?
Understanding the Strengths of Your Quiet Team Members
Introverts recharge alone and process things internally while HSPs have a heightened sensitivity to emotional and sensory stimuli. This can cause them to hesitate to speak up in group settings. They need time to reflect on things before responding and often shrink when asked to speak on the spot without time to prepare.
When quiet team members are overlooked, everyone loses. Leadership isn’t about turning everyone into extroverts. It’s about making room for all types of genius.
Practical Ways to Support Introverts & HSPs on Your Team
Here are some simple ways you can be more mindful of these quieter leaders:
- Rethink Meetings
- Send agendas in advance so these team members have time to prepare their thoughts.
- Give time for silent brainstorming or reflection before discussion.
- Follow up in writing through email for those who prefer to share later.
- Adjust Your Communication Style
- Avoid putting team members on the spot.
- Recognize your own communication style and adjust accordingly for the quieter team members. (The Enneagram is great to use with your teams to help them understand their communication styles.)
- Leave space in conversations for processing. Silence may be uncomfortable, but it can be incredibly valuable to help your quiet team members process during a meeting.
- Allow for communication without the pressure to immediately respond.
- Normalize Different Energy Rhythms
- Not everyone wants a Teams chat or Slack channel that pings all day.
- Allow for “deep work” windows with fewer interruptions. Respect the time blocks your quieter team members set aside for deeper work and encourage your other team members to also respect it.
- Give Feedback Thoughtfully
- Celebrate the contributions of your quieter team members.
- Use a tone and setting that feels safe and not performative.
- Emphasize the how, not just the what.
- Redefine Participation
- Engagement doesn’t have to be loud. Just because your introverted and HSP team members are quiet doesn’t mean they are disengaged.
- Value the input they bring after thoughtful follow-up and work that may not be seen or heard about by others.
The best leaders don’t just speak well – they listen deeply. You don’t need to “fix” the introverts and HSPs on your team. You simply need to see them and listen to them. When you honor their quiet strengths, your entire team benefits.
Which of your quieter team members might thrive with just one thoughtful shift this week?
For more tools and thoughts on leading yourself with more clarity and calm so you can live and lead with less stress, subscribe to our weekly email here.