Breaking the silence: How to boost meeting participation

Workplace meetings, often envisioned as vibrant hubs for collaboration, can turn into frustrating exercises in silence. The reasons, however, go deeper than the commonly assumed fear of career damage or apathy.

A study from the University of Sydney Business School and Lund University revealed four key behavioural patterns that act as hidden barriers to participation, namely opportunism, convenience, perceived ineptitude, and workplace detachment.

Opportunism, characterised by a focus on individual career progression where self-interest outweighs organisational goals, can lead to a reluctance to contribute to organisational change. Convenience manifests as a desire for a simplified work life, with silence perceived as the most efficient way to avoid addressing undesired work processes.

Additionally, ineptitude reflects a belief that only a select few possess the ability to lead and speak up in meetings. Lastly, detachment is observed as a trend of ‘quiet quitting’, where individuals narrow their focus, feeling little responsibility or connection to their workplace.

To enhance meeting participation, Betina Szkudlarek, Professor in Management at the University of Sydney Business School and lead author of the study, recommended altering structures, rituals, and expectations to create an environment that encourages input, ensuring that meetings are a productive use of everyone’s time. She emphasised that leaders should set the expectation that participants come prepared to share their views and ideas. Breakout groups can be utilised to foster idea sharing, with groups taking responsibility for leading discussions, especially around organisational challenges, and implementing actions within their regular workloads.

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“It’s about creating a culture in which speaking up is normal, even if that means appointing someone as a devil’s advocate to get the conversation started,” she said.

Furthermore, she suggested that individuals inclined to speak up should form alliances with quieter colleagues, emphasising the power of a collective voice. For those who struggle to speak up, she encouraged courage, urging them to stop outsourcing responsibility and to exercise their voice for long-term impact.