Breaking the Ice: How to Engage Quiet Employees
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Managing a “quiet” employee is a reality that most business leaders face repeatedly, and yet there still seems to be a frustration, a head-scratching confusion over what this means and how to approach it.
“How do I deal with a quiet employee?”, managers might search on Google after a brainstorming session where the employee in question hardly speaks up, or a stand-up meeting where they briefly state their status without giving many details. The fact that such scenarios are seen as issues that need to be dealt with is part of the larger issue at hand.
Managers should instead be thinking, “How can I help my employee express themselves more thoroughly?”, or “What can I do to engage this employee?”
Challenge perceptions & misconceptions
First of all, managers must realize that they may have biases and misconceptions regarding quiet employees. In some cultures, especially places like the United States, workers who are talkative, assertive and confident may be viewed as more capable and productive members of the team. Being quiet or reserved in the workplace is often associated with negative traits like disinterest, timidness or low contribution.
Judging people by such standards is a big mistake!
If an employee struggles with direct communication or appears shy and quiet in nature, they are probably an introvert.
This is a personality type identified by Carl Jung as characterized by an inward focus resulting in a more reflective and thoughtful tendency.
The contrasting personality type is the extrovert, describing those who have an outward focus and are more prone to socialization and action.
Within a given population, the ratio of introverts and extroverts is about half and half.
In reality, society thrives because of the strengths that different personalities bring to the table. Introverts can be successful and powerful leaders and have been shown to excel by making use of skills like creativity, problem-solving, and self-awareness.
Another consideration to keep in mind is that someone may hold back their thoughts and opinions because they are intimidated. If the person is new to the team/ company or they are a junior level employee, they might resist speaking up for fear of how they will be perceived.
You shouldn’t assume that because someone is shy or quiet they don’t add value to the team. Remember, diversity is a strength and not everyone thinks and acts the same way.
Establish trust
One of the biggest barriers to interaction with an introverted person is level of trust. They can be guarded and cautious until there is a solid foundation to your work relationship. It takes time and proof of character to build a strong connection with some people.
The good news is that once you have earned the trust of an introvert, they will open up and be very genuine with you. You may find that the person you initially thought was shy and antisocial actually has a sharp sense of humor or is very friendly.
Use one-on-one meetings to your advantage by getting to know your employee and building trust until they are comfortable sharing thoughts more freely. Then, help them get into the same mindset in team environments as well.
Give them time
Introverts tend to plan and approach things from a long-term perspective. Rather than saying what is on their mind as it pops into their head, they would prefer to think over their ideas before sharing them with others.
In short, don’t put them on the spot. One of the fastest ways to make an introvert uncomfortable is to demand a response before they have had time to properly collect their thoughts. This doesn’t mean that you have to drag your feet or work at a slower pace. It simply means you should be conscious of the way quiet people process information and how this shapes their work style.
Here’s an example: You are in a strategy meeting and present your team with new information about sales data. You would like to hear what they think this means for the current project and what to pursue in the future. You decide to directly ask employee X, who is often reserved and quiet in meetings, what they think. The problem here is that employee X will be caught off guard and is likely to give a short, vague answer.
An approach which may be more successful might be emailing everyone an outline of the new information before the meeting, or having a short breakout session to allow discussion before asking for individual input.
Set the expectations
Sometimes reports who seem like they don’t have much to say simply need to be told what you would like them to do. If a manager directly asks them to speak up or add their insights, they will likely rise to the occasion.
The key here is to set an expectation in advance. Let the employee know that you will ask them to speak in the daily stand-up or present on a new action item in the next department meeting. Then, when you call on the employee they will be prepared and ready to say their piece.
One way to push your quiet employee to break out of their shell a bit is to give them some extra responsibility. Have them coordinate monthly brainstorming sessions or give a presentation to the team about something important they are working on. This can be a development opportunity, but be careful not to burn them out with too much at once.
Different modes of communication
Those of few words in a face-to-face setting may be much more of a conversationalist over email. Quiet people often express themselves more clearly through written forms of communication.
Having multiple channels to connect with colleagues is beneficial to everyone. Email, instant messaging, Slack channels, text messaging and so on can be ways for the quiet ones in the group to interact with others and make their thoughts and opinions known.
Encourage employees to communicate openly no matter what the medium or situation. If there’s a person on the team who rarely talks in meetings, try coaching them in public speaking or asking them specific questions. But also be sure you are extending all modes of communication and look out for what seems to be most natural for the employee.
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