Listen to the Quiet People

Typically, in business meetings, you’ll have the leader/presenter who controls the flow and manages the agenda. You’ll also have those who have to chime in or otherwise comment, usually frequently, on the topic matter at hand, sometimes seeming to be more in love with their own voices than the subject being discussed. You’ll also have the small contingency of people who are barely existing, either due to boredom, disinterest, or both.

Then you’ll have the quiet listeners. These are the people who are taking it all in, contemplating the topic (and the comments), and letting their brains work on it. These are the most important people in your meeting. They’re also the easiest to overlook.

“The person who talks the loudest and the most in the meeting is not the smartest. They are drowning out the solutions of the people who do the real work. … Knowing when not to talk is an art,” writes Tim Denning in his article Quiet People in Meetings Are Incredible.

Once you accept that the loudest person in the meeting has an ego that compels him/her to talk too much, you’re beginning to understand. “The loudest person in the room is the dumbest because he/she doesn’t know, or have the discipline, to shut up. It’s tragic.” Compare that to the quiet person, listening and taking notes. “Quiet people change the world because they hear things others don’t.”

At your next meeting, observe who is the loudest, who is disconnected, and who is quietly listening. You’ll want to listen the most to those quiet people. They get it.