Breaking the Silence: 5 Strategies to Inspire Your Colleagues to Speak Out

How to break the silence when people are holding opinions and ideas to themselves

When your teammates aren't talking, are they actively listening or self-censoring? According to Gallup, only 30 percent of employees strongly agree that their opinions count at work. The vast majority holds their ideas to themselves, afraid of being judged or ridiculed.

Unfortunately, silence usually goes unnoticed. We fail to realize if our colleagues are focused and paying attention or simply disengaged.

Silence is necessary for listening and reflection. Often people need time to reflect before they talk. However, silence can also indicate that your colleagues don't feel safe voicing concerns.

Psychological safety is the antidote to silence. It's the shared feeling that a team is safe for interpersonal risk-taking. When team members feel safe, they are more authentic, actively participate, speak out, and challenge groupthink without fear of retaliation.

Building a psychologically safe culture is everyone's responsibility. This shared feeling is the result of collective behavior. All te…