Encouraging Open Dialogue In Teams

I stopped using icebreakers that ask about childhood. Here's why 👇🏾 I used to facilitate a "tell the story of your name" exercise with teams. Seemed harmless enough, right? Until the day someone shared a story about their nickname from childhood that visibly devastated three other people in the room. The person sharing was fine. They'd processed their story. But the listeners? They weren't prepared for what they heard. Their nervous systems went straight into threat response while I watched their faces change. That's when I realized: ANY activity that touches childhood is playing with fire 🔥 Because here's what we forget: naming happens in childhood. Family stories happen in childhood. And childhood is where a lot of harm lives. I've experienced this too, so I knew better. Once when playing the name game, I had to explain my first, middle, and last name. When I got to my last name, I explained that I'm descended from enslaved people and this name isn't something I'm connected to. The panic on white colleagues' faces is... a whole thing. So I changed my approach completely. Now? I ask about favorite pet names. Or the story behind a hobby. Or anything that lets people choose a time in their life that actually feels safe to share. Because trauma-informed practice rests on three pillars: choice, control, and safety 🛡️ When we design activities that give people control over what they share and choice about which part of their story feels safe, we're actually building the conditions for real connection. The lesson: trauma-informed facilitation isn't about avoiding hard topics. It's about not ambushing people's nervous systems during what's supposed to be a team building exercise. Your icebreaker shouldn't be someone else's flashback 💭 What "harmless" team activities have you seen backfire? What do you use instead? If you're leading teams through change and want to build connection without causing harm, let's talk about designing experiences that actually feel safe for everyone in the room. #TraumaInformed #Leadership #FacilitationSkills #LeadershipDevelopment

The 'Out of Sight, Out of Mind' Trap: How to Conquer the Distance Google is a global company with offices all over the world, and while this diversity is a strength, it also presents unique challenges for communication and collaboration. Especially when your key stakeholders and decision-makers are continents away! Those hallway conversations, spontaneous coffee chats, and quick desk drop-bys that teams at HQ take for granted? Yeah, those aren't happening when you're separated by oceans and time zones. And that can lead to a disconnect. Your team's amazing work might get overlooked, your challenges might go unnoticed, and your stakeholders might feel out of the loop. But fear not, fellow remote leads! Here are a few strategies I've learned along the way: ‣ Tailor your communication approach: Every leader has their preferred communication style. Some love detailed reports, others prefer concise bullet points, and some just want the TL;DR. It's your job to adapt and deliver information in the way they'll best receive it. ‣ Embrace Radical Transparency: The worst thing that can happen is your leadership feeling blindsided by a problem or a missed deadline. Over-communicate! Share updates regularly, highlight both wins and challenges, and don't be afraid to ask for help when needed. ‣ Educate Your Leads: Help them understand the unique challenges of leading a remote team in a different location. Explain why you might need more proactive communication or different approaches to stay connected and aligned. ‣ Build Relationships Beyond Email: Travel when possible. Occasional visits to the main office can be invaluable for building relationships and understanding the nuances of the company culture. ‣ Celebrate Wins: Make sure your stakeholders are aware of your team's accomplishments, both big and small. This reinforces the value of your team and keeps them top-of-mind. ‣ Iterate and Improve: What works for one lead might not work for another. Experiment with different communication styles, ask for feedback, and continuously refine your approach. Leading a local team in a remote site requires extra effort and intention. By mastering the art of communication and building strong relationships with your stakeholders, you can ensure your team's success, no matter where you are in the world! What are your favorite tips for leading remote teams across continents? Share your insights in the comments! 👇 #RemoteLeadership #Communication #TechLeadership #lifeAtGoogle

Stop wasting meetings! Too many meetings leave people unheard, disengaged, or overwhelmed. The best teams know that inclusion isn’t accidental—it’s designed. 🔹 Here are 6 simple but powerful practices to transform your meetings: 💡 Silent Brainstorm Before discussion begins, have participants write down their ideas privately (on sticky notes, a shared document, or an online board). This prevents groupthink, ensures introverted team members have space to contribute, and brings out more original ideas. 💡 Perspective Swap Assign participants a different stakeholder’s viewpoint (e.g., a customer, a frontline employee, or an opposing team). Challenge them to argue from that perspective, helping teams step outside their biases and build empathy-driven solutions. 💡 Pause and Reflect Instead of jumping into responses, introduce intentional pauses in the discussion. Give people 30-60 seconds of silence before answering a question or making a decision. This allows for deeper thinking, more thoughtful contributions, and space for those who need time to process. 💡 Step Up/Step Back Before starting, set an expectation: those who usually talk a lot should "step back," and quieter voices should "step up." You can track participation or invite people directly, helping create a more balanced conversation. 💡 What’s Missing? At the end of the discussion, ask: "Whose perspective have we not considered?" This simple question challenges blind spots, uncovers overlooked insights, and reinforces the importance of diverse viewpoints in decision-making. 💡 Constructive Dissent Voting Instead of just asking for agreement, give participants colored cards or digital indicators to show their stance: 🟢 Green – I fully agree 🟡 Yellow – I have concerns/questions 🔴 Red – I disagree Focus discussion on yellow and red responses, ensuring that dissenting voices are explored rather than silenced. This builds a culture where challenging ideas is seen as valuable, not risky. Which one would you like to try in your next meeting?  Let me know in the comments! 🔔 Follow me to learn more about building inclusive, high-performing teams. __________________________ 🌟 Hi there! I’m Susanna, an accredited Fearless Organization Scan Practitioner with 10+ years of experience in workplace inclusion. I help companies build inclusive cultures where diverse, high-performing teams thrive with psychological safety. Let’s unlock your team’s full potential together!

Easy conversation starter? Notice what people wear or carry around.   T-shirts, caps, keychains, bags. Decorations on their phone cases. Stickers on their tumblers and laptops.   Often these things reveal something about their interests: Their favorite sports team, band, or TV show. The hobbies they enjoy. The causes they support. The characters they identify with. The places and communities they love.   These are all potential icebreaker topics. If you know something about the subject, that’s your in. Throw out an observation. Ask a question. Acknowledge it. Make them feel seen.   In my experience, most people will engage you in conversation. Many are hungry for social interaction, and here’s a reason to talk. There’s camaraderie in being part of a fandom or social group.   It could be something as mainstream as Star Wars, Taylor Swift, or the Dodgers.   But the more obscure it is, the more likely they'll light up. It’s not every day that somebody recognizes what they’re representing.   I saw a guy wearing a Dr. Dog shirt and commented on it. Not many people have heard of this band. So he was delighted! He talked about seeing them on tour a while ago.   I met another guy wearing a polo with an “FCA” logo and asked which sport he played. (FCA is the Fellowship of Christian Athletes). That sparked a conversation not only of sports but also of faith.   I noticed a Berkeley SkyDeck sticker on this girl’s laptop. So I walked up and asked what she’s building. Turns out, she’s quite the go-getter and involved in a ton of cool things.   To be clear, most of these encounters occur in passing. But some may lead to ongoing friendships and opportunities. When you know about the things people like and participate in, they will feel like they can relate with you.   And if you have this one thing in common, perhaps you might have more.   #ElementsofNetworking 

I am regularly asked this question: What are some practical ways you can help quieter people speak up in meetings, and draw out their valuable contributions? It’s an important question, because there are many reasons why people may not speak up. It is dangerous to assume that they have nothing to contribute. Some may feel that it’s rude to interrupt, feel anxious when under pressure to think on the spot, are unable to find a gap in a group of louder people, or have some other reason to not speak up. If you are a leader or chairing a discussion, there are things you can do to ensure quieter voices are heard. Here are three practical things that you can do at your next meeting: 1 Inform people of the discussion topic ahead of time. Quieter people can feel anxious and freeze up when put up on the spot. They may need time to think through things before sharing them. Providing background material beforehand allows them to be ready to share during the meeting. It is very likely their ideas will be well thought through and valuable. 2. Actively create space, especially if others are noisy. Quiet people can struggle to interrupt - they may feel it's impolite, need more time to interject, or their quieter voices may be drowned out. You can come up with a pre-arranged signal that people can use if they want to say something - such as a raised hand - and invite them to talk. You can also keep track of who has talked and who hasn’t, and invite anyone who hasn’t talked to do so. 3. Invite people to share things with you after the meeting. Just as quieter people may need time to assemble their thoughts before a meeting, they may think about things that were raised during the meeting, and have even more to contribute after reflecting. Invite people to talk to you some time afterwards. Then in the next meeting, bring up their contribution and invite them to share further. These three strategies are not overly time consuming, nor do they take much effort. However, they can have a significant impact on your quieter people feeling heard and included, and on how much value your organisation gains from their contribution. The ability to create space for quieter voices is an important inclusive leadership skill. Noticing and inviting quieter voices will likely add diverse perspectives to your discussions. How consciously do you create space for quieter people to be heard? #inclusion #listeningskills #management #inclusiveleadership #diversityandinclusion

You’re not going to build a high-performing team by accident. We often design teamwork for the loudest voices in the room—assuming that energy equals engagement. But what about the quiet contributors? The deep thinkers? The ones who process before they speak? If your team is filled with introverts, you don’t have a communication problem—you have an adaptation problem. (You might already be leading them effectively without realising it. Here’s how to fine-tune your approach.) 7 Ways to Work Better with an Introvert-Heavy Team 1) Rethink Brainstorming ↳ Open-floor discussions favour quick talkers. ↳ Use silent idea-sharing (like written prompts) before opening the floor. 2) Make Space for Asynchronous Input ↳ Not everyone thrives in real-time discussions. ↳ Encourage written feedback via docs, emails, or voice notes. 3) Normalise Pauses in Meetings ↳ Silence isn’t awkward—it’s where deep thinking happens. ↳ Give space before expecting answers. 4) Favor Small Groups Over Large Meetings ↳ Big discussions can be draining for introverts. ↳ Use breakout rooms or one-on-ones for richer conversations. 5) Recognise Contribution Beyond Speaking Up ↳ Ideas don’t always come from the loudest voice. ↳ Acknowledge quality over volume. 6) Create Psychological Safety ↳ Some introverts hold back to avoid judgment. ↳ Set clear expectations: Thoughtful input is valued over fast responses. 7) Balance Solitude & Collaboration ↳ Forced teamwork can stifle independent brilliance. ↳ Allow quiet work time before collaboration. Great teams aren’t built on extroverted ideals—they’re built on understanding. 🔄 What’s one thing you do to support introverts in your team? Drop your thoughts below! ------------------- I’m Jayant Ghosh. Follow me in raising awareness for mental health that inspires growth and well-being.

Meetings aren’t for updates - they’re where your culture is being built… or broken. In distributed, remote, & hybrid teams, meetings are key moments where team members experience culture together. That makes every meeting a high-stakes opportunity. Yet most teams stay in default mode - using meetings for project updates instead of connection, ideation, debate, and culture-building. Fixing meeting overload isn’t just about having fewer Zooms. It’s about rewiring your communication norms: ✔️ Do we know when to communicate synchronously vs. asynchronously? ✔️ Are we using async tools that give transparency without constant live check-ins? ✔️ Have we aligned on our team values and expected behaviors? 💡 3 ways to reduce meetings and make the remaining ones count: 1️⃣ Co-create a Team Working Agreement. Before you can reinforce values, your team needs to define them. We’ve spent hundreds of hours helping teams do this - and have seen measurable gains in team effectiveness. Key components: ✔️ Shared team goals ✔️ Defining team member roles ✔️ Agreed-upon behaviors ✔️ Communication norms (sync vs. async) 2️⃣ Begin meetings with a connection moment. Relationships fuel trust and collaboration. Kick things off with a check-in like: “What gave you energy this week?” Or tailor it to the topic. In a recent meeting on decision-making norms, we asked: “Speed or certainty - which do you value more when making decisions, and why?” 3️⃣ Make team values part of the agenda. Create a ritual to recognize teammates for living into the team behaviors. Ask the question: “Where did we see our values or team agreements show up this week?” And check in on where could the team have done better. Culture doesn’t happen by accident - especially when your teams are spread across time zones, WFH setups, and multiple office sites. Your meetings can become a powerful tool to build culture with intention. Excerpt from the Work 20XX podcast with Jeff Frick

🤐 "Dead Air" on Zoom? It’s Not Disengagement — It’s Cultural. 🌏 Your global team is brilliant, but meetings are met with silence. You ask for input, and… nothing. It’s not that they don’t care. It’s cultural. In many cultures, challenging a leader publicly can feel disrespectful. Speaking up might risk "losing face." So, instead of collaboration, you get cautious nods, and critical ideas die quietly. 💥 The cost? Missed feedback, hidden conflicts, derailed timelines, and talent feeling unseen and unheard. But it doesn’t have to be this way. 🚀 Here’s how to encourage real participation and build trust across cultures — starting today. 1️⃣ Invite opinions privately first. Many cultures value privacy and may hesitate to disagree publicly. Before the meeting, send out an agenda and ask for input by email or private chat. This gives team members time to reflect and feel safer sharing. 2️⃣ Create "round robin" sharing moments. During the call, explicitly invite each person to share, one by one. Use phrases like: "I’d love to hear a quick insight from everyone, no wrong answers." This reduces the fear of interrupting or "stepping out of line." 3️⃣ Model vulnerability as a leader. Share your own uncertainties or challenges first. For example: "I’m not sure this is the best approach — I’d really value your perspective." When you show it’s safe to be open, your team will follow. 4️⃣ Acknowledge and validate contributions publicly. After someone shares, affirm them clearly. For example: "Thank you for that perspective — it really helps us see this from a new angle." This builds psychological safety and encourages future participation. 5️⃣ Use cultural "mirroring" techniques. Mirror verbal and non-verbal cues appropriate to different cultures (e.g., nodding, using supportive phrases). Show respect for varying communication styles instead of forcing a "one-size-fits-all" dynamic. ✨Imagine meetings where every voice is heard and your team’s full potential is unlocked. Ready to stop the silence and turn diversity into your superpower? #CulturalCompetence #GlobalLeadership #InclusiveTeams #PsychologicalSafety #CrossCulturalCommunication 

It’s off-site season… and here’s the uncomfortable truth: A slick agenda won’t make it a success ... if only five people do all the talking. Your ExCo won’t rave about it. Your team won’t remember it. And your bonus won’t thank you. My top tip. If you want people to speak up ans contribute, you have to design for it. Harvard Business Review (HBR) has said this for years. Meetings shape culture, trust, retention… and yes, your leadership reputation. If you don’t make meetings inclusive, they won’t be. We all know the 'usual suspects' who grab the mic first. But what about everyone else? The introverts. The new joiners. The shy-but-brilliant thinkers. The colleagues from minority or underrepresented backgrounds. The people whose first language isn’t English. They’re sitting on insights that could make your strategy sharper and your team stronger. Now here’s the kicker: HBR found that only 35% of employees feel able to contribute “all the time” in meetings. That's two-thirds of your team... sitting in silence. Imagine what that’s costing your business £$£? Imagine what it’s costing you. So here’s the fix. - Don’t go to the loudest voice. - Deliberately give the first question to someone who wouldn’t normally speak. - Agree it with them beforehand so it feels supportive, not like a live ambush. And yes ... the research backs this approach. Leaders who intentionally make space for quieter contributors get better ideas, stronger trust, and higher leadership ratings (Bain et al., HBR). You can also use tools like Mentimeter where people submit questions anonymously (in real time) and the room upvotes what they want answered. HBR’s been saying for years that anonymity boosts participation.... especially for introverts, multilingual colleagues and people dialling in remotely. The moment you do this, the power dynamic shifts. You signal that every voice matters. And slowly but surely, those who usually stay quiet start stepping in. Good facilitation isn’t about blasting through slides. It’s about creating a room where people feel welcome, valued, and confident to contribute. HBR calls it “inclusive meeting design”. I call it a smart career move. Because leaders who run inclusive off-sites? They get better ideas, better decisions, better feedback… and usually a better bonus. So when you run your next off-site or townhall… pass the mic with intention. Bring in younger colleagues, older colleagues, multilingual colleagues ... everyone with the different ideas your strategy needs. Talk soon, Annette P.S. was this a useful post? Worth sharing with someone planning their off-site right now?

If one person talks the most in your meetings, you’re not leading. You’re spectating. Your team dynamics are disrupted by one member's dominance. How can you ensure everyone's voice is heard? 1) Recognise Dominance Identify the dominating member. Acknowledge their contributions. But ensure they don't overshadow others. 2) Set Clear Rules Establish ground rules for discussions. Everyone gets a turn to speak. 3) Encourage Quiet Members Actively invite input from quieter members. Their ideas may surprise you. 4) Rotate Roles Change roles regularly. Let everyone experience leadership. 5) Use Structured Methods Implement structured methods like round-robin. This ensures everyone has a say. 6) Foster Open Communication Create a safe space for sharing ideas. Encourage respectful dialogue. 7) Provide Feedback Give constructive feedback. Help the dominant member understand their impact. 8) Lead by Example Model inclusive behaviour. Show how to listen and value all voices. 9) Address Issues Privately Talk to the dominant member in private. Discuss ways to balance their input. 10) Celebrate Diversity Embrace the diverse perspectives. Dominance is a leadership issue, not just a team problem. If one person is consistently overshadowing the rest of the team, the issue isn't just with that individual (it's a failure in leadership). Leaders set the tone, and when dominance goes unchecked, it signals that you're allowing imbalances. The key is to step in early, recalibrate the group, and ensure that quieter voices are empowered. Leadership should foster participation, not enable monopolisation. Dominance persists when leaders stay silent. What would you add?