Why You Should Really Listen to the Quiet Ones.

I work in marketing and communications. You know that by now. Which means I'm basically 24/7 surrounded by individuals who love the sound of their own voice. Individuals who mistake the sheer volume at which they share opinions for the value of their opinions. The sad part being such bombastic, overtly confident souls do get heard. Both clients and management regard their confidence. The problem being more than often that the most confident people in a room are indeed the least knowledgable ones. I'm not making this up. There's research to back it up. People who study a topic in-depth feel there's so much they still don't know. This, in turn, stifles their confidence and their speech. So the loud mouths step in.They interrupt those gentle unsure souls who whisper words of wisdom.

So, do this the next time you are in a meeting. See that shy colleague making doodles, looking up at the bombastic project manager whenever he sets up an unrealistic goal? Bring the meeting to a halt. A small break, if you will. Take your shy colleague in confidence, ask what they think. When they open up, reveal their point to the entire team. Give them a channel to amplify their voice. Give them a chance to shut that loudmouth up. Rescue your team from the man whose inflated sense self clouds his objectivity.