Encouraging Others to Amplify Their Voices
Cathie Leimbach • May 2, 2023
Too frequently, leaders make workplace decisions with inadequate information. A group decision may be based on only the leader’s preferences and experience. It may serve the leader’s personality style and ignore the emotional or functional impact of team members. The organization fails to experience the benefits of group collaboration.
Many employees have tried to speak up, only to have their input ignored, so they have stopped offering ideas. They do their work but keep their great ideas to themselves. What can you do to encourage team members to share their insights, experience, and preferences for higher quality decision-making and stronger organizational results?
Let’s consider 5 ways you can encourage others to speak up in workplace meetings.
- Let your team members know you want to hear their ideas. Tell them in group meetings, by email, or during one-on-one conversations that you want their input on workplace matters.
- During meetings, ask your team members to share their thoughts on an agenda item before you share your own. This usually brings out a variety of information rather than everyone simply agreeing with your thinking.
- Call on team members individually. Share the meeting topics a day or two before each meeting and ask them to be ready to share their perspective on each topic. During the meeting call each person by name and ask them to share their thoughts.
- Listen to what each person says. Acknowledge their contribution by paraphrasing it or asking an open-ended question to learn more.
- Show you value their input. Thank them for sharing. Put their best ideas into practice and let them know why the others aren’t being implemented.
As the leader, be intentional about amplifying other people’s voices. They will experience more job satisfaction and buy-in. Your decisions will be more informed. And, the organization will be more successful.
Most leaders want better performance. They want employees who take ownership, meet expectations, solve problems, and continue growing. Yet many leaders seldom initiate performance conversations – and when they do, it doesn’t go well. Leaders often hesitate because they fear discouraging people. Employees, meanwhile, don't know if they are missing the target. This can be costly. Research highlighted in McKinsey's Courageous Conversations article found that organizations with strong performance practices are four times more likely to outperform their peers. Yet fewer than one-third of employees believe performance reviews actually help them improve. The problem is not just a lack of performance conversations. It's a lack of clarity. The article points to a simple but powerful distinction: separate the hardware of performance from the software of performance. The hardware includes facts, goals, KPIs, commitments, timelines, and standards. The software includes tone, timing, relationships, empathy, and intent. When leaders clearly explain the facts while delivering them with care and respect, employees become more receptive to improvement. Strong leaders don't judge people—they diagnose work. They focus on behaviors, actions, and results rather than character. They clarify expectations, provide coaching, and create frequent opportunities for alignment. In high-performing cultures, clarity isn't viewed as criticism. It is viewed as support. As the article notes, "Clarity is a kindness, and ambiguity is a burden." Employees deserve to know where they stand, what success looks like, and how to improve. When leaders provide that clarity with dignity and respect, performance conversations become growth conversations. And growth is where better results begin. Download the Performance Conversations: Hardware & Software Checklist for Leaders and learn how to have everyday performance discussions that include opportunities for growth, accountability, and stronger results.
Most workplace tension doesn't come from major conflicts. It comes from too few conversations. A disappointment that was never discussed. A broken agreement that was never repaired. Appreciation that was never expressed. Over time, these "withholds" create friction that slows collaboration, weakens trust, and makes even simple conversations feel difficult. The strongest teams don't avoid tension—they address it early. Research highlighted in a recent McKinsey article found that unresolved tensions can significantly reduce team effectiveness, while high-trust teams consistently outperform their peers. The difference isn't the absence of problems. It's the willingness to talk about them. One of the most practical leadership habits is creating regular opportunities for transparent interaction. That includes appreciation. People should hear what they're doing well far more often than they hear about their shortfalls. Specific, genuine recognition builds trust over time. Those trust deposits matter because once positive relationships are built, difficult conversation are more likely to accept the message . When correction is needed, reinforce that you value the person, even though they aren’t perfect. The goal is growth, not judgment. But leaders should be careful not to make appreciation transactional. If positive feedback has been absent for months, suddenly offering praise immediately before a critique usually feels insincere. Trust is built through a steady pattern of recognition, encouragement, and honest conversation—not a last-minute compliment. Transparent leaders also address issues early. Small frustrations become large resentments when left unresolved. Teams that clear the air quickly spend less energy managing tension and more energy producing results. The result? Less friction. More trust. Stronger relationships. Better performance. Because healthy conversations don't just solve problems—they strengthen the team. Free Leader Guide: 5 Practices for Trust-Building Conversations The best leaders don't wait for tension to become conflict. They build trust before it's needed. Download our 5 Practices for Trust-Building Conversations guide to learn practical ways to strengthen relationships, reduce friction, and create a culture where honest conversations lead to better performance. Download the guide and start building trust one conversation at a time.