Strategic Silence: How to Empower Not Overpower
A mind is a terrible thing to spew when it’s a bubbling cauldron of “brilliance”. Practice strategic silence rather than blinding with faux wisdom.
You teach helplessness when you speak first and most. Anticipate disengagement when you interject yourself into day-to-day planning and execution. Conformity disempowers. Strategic silence empowers.
Get out of the way. People stop creating when leaders give solutions.
16 questions to strategic silence:
Value:
- How does this suggestion add value to the conversation? Is it masquerading as disempowerment?
- Who benefits if you jump in?
- How does this insight differentiate us from our competitors?
- Are the benefits of this idea worth expanding our focus?
Alignment:
- How does this insight align with priorities? Focus is more important than brilliant opinions. Leaders who dilute focus are dangerous.
- How does this idea align with strategic goals?
- How am I expressing our values?
- What conflicts exist between this idea and our current initiatives?
Practicality:
- How actionable is your wisdom? Wisdom is practical.
- What resources are required to implement your solution?
- Can this idea be scaled up if it proves successful?
Kick in the pants questions:
- What vibrations might this input cause?
- How urgent is this idea?
- Are you building on something already said or suggesting a new direction? If you’re building on something already said, ask them to say more about their idea.
- How does my suggestion fill the room with clarity?
- What harm would silence cause? What benefit?
4 principles of leadership:
Position and authority make you stupid.
The more certain you feel the more likely strategic silence is protection.
Better to practice strategic silence than spewing disengagement over competent teams.
Beware the pendulum effect – strategic silence isn’t disengagement.
When is keeping your mouth shut useful? Harmful?
How can leaders practice strategic silence and be engaged at the same time.
Dig deeper:
13 Things You Can Do with Words
How to Capture the Opportunity in Awkward Silence
The words you say to yourself impact the direction of your life. The Vagrant provides structured self-reflection exercises that will smooth the path forward for leaders. Order your copy today:
