The Power of Silence

Written By Robin LeBlanc

Strategy Corner

The Power of Silence

How often have you conducted a meeting and posed a question – only to be met with silence? That happens a lot, and our first instinct is to rephrase the question or otherwise keep talking.

Next time, try just keeping quiet. Wait. It may be several seconds. Keep waiting.

We all process things differently, and it takes time to formulate our thoughts to speak out loud.

Try this in your next meeting (when it’s not a yes-or-no question). Someone will speak up. If no one does after the first 30 seconds or so (watch the clock!), just ask the question again. And wait some more.

Robin LeBlanc

Robin has years of experience in teaching, marketing, business development, organizational leadership and facilitation. She has worked in municipalities, in universities, in corporations and in non-profits. Most recently, she was Executive Director of Plan NH, which focuses on the impact of the built environment on the fabrics of a community.

Robin is particularly interested in:

  • Facilitating conversations, especially exploratory ones, that might lead to positive change in a team or organization.

  • Guiding Strategic and other planning processes for small to medium organizations.

  • Assisting with workshop and/or conference planning and design so that attendees feel more connected to the topic or theme, to each other, and to the hosting organization.

Robin can be reached at robin@rhlstrategies.com.

https://www.rhlstrategies.com
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