New research from the University of Sydney Business School and Lund University proposes a simple trick to get people talking in meetings: appoint a devil’s advocate. The study, based on interviews with 18 academics from a leading Western business school, aims to figure out why some folks hesitate to speak up during meetings.
“Everyone has experienced the frustration of hearing people complain in private about an issue at work after staying silent in a meeting with leaders and decision-makers,” the researchers explain.
“We found that a fear of career damage and a sense that nothing would change anyway, were not the main reasons preventing people from speaking up—these expressed reasons often served as excuses for a wider range of motivations.”
Staying silent
The researchers pinpointed four key behaviors associated with silence in meetings:
- Opportunism: Some prioritize personal career advancement over organizational goals, leading them to see no value in contributing to organizational change.
- Convenience: Others prefer a simpler work life, viewing silence in meetings as the most efficient way to avoid dealing with undesired work processes.
- Ineptitude: There’s a belief that only a select few possess the ability to lead and speak up in meetings.
- Detachment: This is linked to the concept of “quiet quitting,” where individuals focus narrowly and don’t feel responsible for or connected to their workplace.
Though the study involved a small and specific sample, the authors believe the findings could extend beyond academia. To enhance meeting participation, they recommend leaders and participants modify structures, rituals, and expectations to foster input and ensure meetings are a productive use of everyone’s time.
“Leaders should expect that people come to the meeting prepared and are expected to share their views and ideas,” the researchers explain.
“They can also run breakout groups to encourage idea sharing and give the groups responsibility for leading discussions—especially around organizational pain points—and implementing actions, which requires dedicated time in their regular workload.”
What’s more, an employee who is more likely to speak up could also create useful alliances with their quieter colleagues and create a powerful team.
“A collective voice has more power: think long term, stay engaged and exercise responsibility for enacting change,” the researchers conclude.
“For those who struggle to speak up: be courageous. Stop outsourcing the responsibility to others for raising the issues that are important to you. The more you exercise your voice, the more impactful you will become.”
