Some of my favorite Seinfeld episodes are those about the “soft talker,” “close talker,” and the one about Dan, the “high talker.” But one they didn’t cover is the loud talker.
The loud talker is that friend you are afraid to meet in a coffee shop because everyone in the shop can hear when he talks. He isn’t shouting; his voice is just…loud. And it always amazes me that these individuals are typically unaware that they are loud talkers.
Leaders can have that same lack of awareness. Your voice is louder or carries more weight as a leader than you might realize. And when we are consistently the loudest voice, it can drown out the voices of others.
Your team has good ideas, different perspectives, wisdom, and insights that can and should contribute to your organization’s vision. But, they may never exercise their voice or even discover their voice if not given a chance.
When the leader’s voice is always the loudest it:
- limits creativity
- narrows perspectives
- leads to missed opportunities
- hinders development
- decreases a sense of ownership among the team
So what can you do?
- Make a habit of having everyone else speak first
- Affirm the great ideas and insights your team shares
- Thank the team for their input
- Integrate the philosophy that it takes a lot of bad ideas to come up with the best ideas
- Step out of the room and let your team brainstorm without you
Not only will you see more and better ideas emerge, you will also discover people who are showing more significant potential for leadership. You will find new strengths among your team. And you will see the engagement level of your team skyrocket.
Don’t end up being a parody on an episode of Seinfeld; quiet your voice and enjoy the benefits of allowing the voices of others to be heard.
