Speak last
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Speak last
Someone once told me 'we have two ears and only one mouth for good reason' - because that is the ratio in which we should listen and speak. We already know what we already know. Chances are, those around us are withholding valuable knowledge unless we give them a deliberate opportunity to share it.
What challenges do you need help to solve this week?
Write them down.
Consider: who might be best positioned to help you?
Practice: listening more than you speak to understand where knowledge pools lie
Decide to: initiate a conversation opportunity with someone wherein you speak last
Why speak last?
When you're a leader, people around you can default to expecting you to have the answers. We all know that's not always true! In order to unlock a more diverse set of ideas and mitigate groupthink, it's a good idea to develop a habit of speaking last. Meetings are a valuable opportunity to deliberately leave space (and often silence) to discover what others know. Speaking last encourages your team to put their ideas and suggestions on the table, helps them feel listened to, and boosts ownership and team morale.
Play a leadership role by gathering and clarifying information. Questions such as: “Why do you think that’s the right direction?”, or "Who can offer a different perspective?" can dramatically improve the quality of contributions in meetings.
When it comes time for us to speak, 'THINK' is a handy acronym to sense-check our own input!
Remember, if shared knowledge is music to your ears, tune in so you don't miss a beat this week.
Love your Mondays