There’s a popular saying, “Never assume that Loud is strong and Quiet is weak.” Quiet people eschew the spotlight and are often able to view an issue without their ego blocking their view. But it can take extra effort to get the quiet people to come forward and express themselves.
Humans by nature prefer consensus, which provides reassurance and a sense of belonging. But loud opinions can lead to “false consensus”, which is only designed to drown out dissent.
The role of the meeting leader is to ensure that everyone not only has equal time to speak, but also feels safe to express their true thoughts on an issue. Follow these tips to bring out the best in everyone:
• Let the loudest go last
If you already know who the dominating voices are in the room, you can schedule their comments last. Simply suggesting, “Perhaps we start the debate with another voice this time” is entirely appropriate and hard to argue. Or simply call for an opposing viewpoint. It’s a signal to everyone in the room that they don’t have to accept the prevailing winds of thought.
• Force out first thoughts or feelings
Be prepared to put people on the spot. Instead of allowing the discussion to be dominated by the same person, call on one of the quieter people in the room. Push them for the first thought or feeling that comes to their mind. Anger? Fear? Quiet people are just afraid that their ideas or feelings will get rejected by the group. Acknowledging those feelings teaches them that their feelings and thoughts are as equal as any others.
• Remember Round Robin
If you want to be more discrete in breaking the hold of dominating voices or calling out the quiet thinkers, organize debate around a round robin. But choose carefully where to start. Quiet people at the end of the round robin will need extra effort to stop the wave of consensus. Don’t allow dominators to “pass”, so they can go last and lay waste to other opinions.
• Put pen to paper
A great way to avoid Group Think is to give everyone a minute to jot down their thoughts about a particular proposal. This forces everyone to formulate their ideas free of other interfering voices. The meeting leader can then ask people to read what they wrote or even have them submit their slips of paper, whereby the leader can read them out randomly and discuss.
Never assume that Loud is strong and Quiet is weak. Anonymous
Meetings are magic. Even when facing clear facts, our decisions are ultimately based on myriad emotions, opinions and rationales, the result of shifting conditions and circumstances.
For all the discussion in advance–in person or online–you never know what will happen when when the doors close, and everyone comes together face-to-face to make a decision. New insights or old grudges can surface and transform the debate.
Issues predicted to fail can stage a last minute “Hail-Mary pass” – and pass. Other decisions considered a “slam dunk” – land right on the garbage heap of failure.
That’s because the decision itself and the debate behind it does not belong to any single person. Once a proposal has been put forward for discussion by the group, it belongs to the group. And once the proposal passes or fails, it is the entire group that must take responsibility.
So, make sure you look before you leap forward with a proposal:
Are you reinventing the wheel? Was this idea already addressed? This is particularly important for for newcomers. Rehashing old issues can create unnecessary drama…leading to disappointment.
Does your proposal have a tangible benefit? The fights are always vicious when the stakes are low. Trivial matters can trigger everyone’s ego…and defenses when there’s nothing to lose.
Can you clearly articulate your idea? Half-baked proposals usually wind up in the trash. They are also often an open-call for endless amendments…leaving you far from your starting point.
Is this your ego talking? It’s easy to get attached to an idea. Make sure that you are prepared to accept being on the losing side.
With these tips in mind, you might not be able to count your chickens before they hatch, but you can avoid the worst cockfights!
There’s a saying,“People prefer simple answers to complex problems, even when they are wrong.”
But leaders understand the value of tolerating complexity and ambiguity.
Few things in life are fixed…except birth and death. All the rest is dependent on the circumstances around us. Each time we try to control those circumstances or draw a line in the sand, the sand can often blow back in our eyes.
Here are a few tips to see through ambiguity clearly:
Don’t be afraid to seek out a second opinion from another person group or expert. Don’t make decisions in a black box.
Don’t be afraid to refer the issue entirely to another group or committee to address. That’s what they are their for. It’s a good use of time.
Be willing to admit that you don’t know what you don’t know. Is the discussion based around hypotheticals instead of experience?
Don’t feel rushed to come up with all the answers, either as the leader or as a board. If you are feeling rushed, you likely aren’t thinking as clearly as you think.
Be patient. Sometimes the information you need is not yet available. Do you want to do it right or fast?
Doing nothing *is* doing something. Often it’s the right thing to do.
Something doesn’t necessarily have to be consistent or even logical to be right. It just has to solve the issue and achieve the desired outcome.
Flexibility isn’t necessarily inconsistency. What worked in the past doesn’t always work in the future. The world isn’t one-size-fits-all.
There is an famous Zen saying, “Form is Emptiness and Emptiness is Form.” Everything is changing all the time. Our bodies. Our minds. Our opinions. How do we keep it together?
One word: Rules.
Rules are designed to bring order to the chaotic communication that happens in any meeting of fragile, fickle humans. They help take the emotion out of the discussion. Rules are a delicate vessel to hold corrosive conflict. Love them or hate them, we all still need them.
But rules can change as well. They are ultimately empty too. Rules are only good if people follow them. And to make sure people follow them, they have to respect the values behind them. Values like: fairness, civility, respect, selflessness, generosity, compassion and duty to the larger group.
Rules aren’t about what you “can” and “cannot” do. They are ultimately about what you “should” and “should not” do to manifest these values.
If we want to live in a civil society then we need to respect the rules of debate and the values that underlie them. Without fair rules – there is no respect – just empty words.
Half of the art of speaking involves the art of listening. Some people prefer to listen before speaking. And others prefer to speak before listening. The job of the Facilitator is to ensure that Listeners get a chance to speak, and Speakers actually stop to listen. Here’s how:
Set time limits for speaking and stick to them
Make sure no one speaks twice until everyone has had a chance to speak
Vary who gets to speak first by going around the table, starting with different people
Call out the quiet ones specifically and prompt them to say what is on their mind. Most of the time, their initial impressions are correct, they are just afraid to express them.
The key to successful meetings is managing egos, and the biggest one is often your own…
The world is a messy place and humans are fragile creatures. We like to be in charge, or at least pretend to be. And there is nothing more messy than a bunch of humans are trying to decide something at the meeting.
Whether we like it or not, each of us is driven by an underlying agenda. We have our preferences that we often cannot see. The key to successful meeting is to allow and acknowledge other opinions. Don’t fear conflict. Contain it by shedding light on it. Make it comfortable for people to express opposing views, even if you don’t like it.
This not only includes the people at the meeting, but most importantly the person running the meeting. The discussion and decision doesn’t belong to the leader. It belongs to the entire group. The leader’s job is to help the group reach a decision, not make it for them. Watch out for your own hidden desires and let them go. The outcome will be what it is.
Everyone must put their egos and emotions aside for the greater good. Rules on who speaks when and how do this. Rules are designed to take the emotion and ego out of the equation. Everyone is simply following the rules. Don’t blame the player, blame the game.
The fights are always most vicious when the stakes are low. People are willing to defend their ego to the death, when there is no risk of injury. Don’t assume that “trivial” issues will be easy. Apply the rules equally regardless of the topic.
For whatever reason, humans are blessed with an amazing ability to express ourselves, which includes the ability to help or harm other. Insulting opponents might win the battle, but you will lose the war for decency in the long run.
Civil meetings are designed to resolve conflicts through deliberation and cooperation, where each person has something constructive contribute. Do not allow members to denigrate the motivations or contributions of their fellow participants.
In meetings, address communication through a third-party such as the presider or facilitator This will deflect and diffuse any negative energy coming from the person speaking.
Emotions are fuel, and words can shoot sparks. To avoid ignition, condemn any profanity in a meeting immediately. Finding your way out of a inferno of insults and emotions is often impossible…and creates long-lasting damage.
There is one in every group of people. Yet, it can be difficult to define exactly what we mean by “difficult people”. Regardless of whether you have issues with a particular person’s personality or one of your colleagues does, these tips can be used to help resolve personality conflicts that can impair board functioning.
Who are the difficult people?
They go by different names but they all have the same effect: shutting down debate.
“The Narcissist” – this person prioritizes their own perspective over everything. They are unable and unwilling to see any other side or compromise. Their inflated sense of ego can lead them to exaggerate or even falsify information.
“The Grandstander” – this person loves the sound of their own voice. They dominate discussion by making a mountain out of a mole hole. For all their talk, they may not provide any substantive input but they shut down discussion by wearing everybody else out.
“The Bully” – this is the most toxic person of all. They love a fight, but there is no predicting which one they will pick. They can be hostile in person at a meeting and even more aggressive behind the scenes. Their goal is to intimidate everyone and shut down debate to get their way, even if they are not sure what that is.
Protect yourself
The key is to identify these types of people and acknowledge your inner triggers. Knowing what is going on inside of you will make it a lot easier to interact to difficult people. Grandstanders may irritate your preference for pragmatism. Narcissists may challenge your innate modesty. Bullies trigger your defensiveness. The problem is not always entirely about the other person. It is about your interaction with them. It is critical to manage your own reactions so that you do not act defensively or come from a place of anger. Only engage with this person when you feel that you have full mastery over your emotions. In that case, it can be wise to set a time limit to the interaction and to debrief afterwards with a close colleague if you can.
Do not fuel the fire
Sticking to the facts is the best way to interact with these people. Facts are usually not debatable, but opinions are. However, too many facts can prompt a person to pick apart the details. Short and sweet answers that are grounded in verifiable facts. The less you say the better. In a face-to-face confrontation, try to remain calm and simply listen to the person without replying. You can reflect respect by simply listening and not providing a counterargument. Simply acknowledge the emotion that both of you may be feeling. “Thanks for sharing your input with me. This is obviously an issue you feel passionate about.” is more than enough.
Focus on commonalities
We were all children once. Even the most difficult person in the room. Everybody wants to feel good about themselves. Problematic personalities are often based on some unresolved need or fear. Can you determine what this person’s need or fear is? Do you share that need or fear to some extent? What can you learn from your interactions with this person? What other common interests may you share? Do they have children? Do they enjoy travel or other activities? All of this will help you relate to the other person as a human being and remove any reactivity to the person. This can help you to interact with them more calmly. If you are able, arrange to meet with the person in a neutral space, such as lunch or over coffee, and chat about these shared interests. Avoid trigger topics. This can be the basis of eventually healing the rift between you. However, in some cases it may not be possible to interact calmly with this person. It is wisest to simply keep your distance and move on. Trust your judgment in the case.
Find a different forum
If you are a leader in the group and there is no hope of resolution with this person, the next best thing is to find a different forum for them. If you understand their interests and have been able to hear their complaints, you will be in a better position to help steer them toward a different venue or to focus on a less confrontational issue. “You seem to be very knowledgeable on this issue, have you ever considered sharing your expertise with the ___ association?” Or “You seem really passionate about this issue, have you ever considered the related issue of ___ ?” Most people with these type of combative personalities are very self-focused, so it can be relatively easy to encourage them to take their fight elsewhere.
Board work involves people. And people involve egos. Ego management is the biggest part of working in and with a group. Hopefully these tips will provide a way to manage both your own ego and that of your colleagues.
They go by different names but they all have the same effect: shutting down debate.
