How to Get Your Team to Share Their Ideas (Even When They’re Hesitant)

You walk into a meeting, ask for input, and all you get is silence. Heads are down. Eyes are glued to laptops. You want your team to engage, to bring fresh ideas to the table, but something’s holding them back.

Maybe they’re afraid of saying the wrong thing.

Maybe they’ve never been encouraged to speak up before.

Here’s the thing—people don’t share ideas when they don’t feel safe.

As a leader, it’s your job to create that safety. But how? It’s not just about asking them what they think.

Build trust in the small moments, the everyday interactions that show them you’re genuinely interested in what they care about.

Start with the little things.

1. Catch them off guard (in a good way). Don’t wait for the formal meetings to ask for their input. That’s where the pressure builds. Instead, catch them in a casual moment.

A quick chat in the hallway, a question over coffee, a passing comment during a break. “Hey, I’ve been thinking about this project. What do you reckon?” The key is to keep it light, make it feel like a conversation, not a spotlight moment.

2. Acknowledge effort, not just results. People hesitate to share ideas when they think they’ll be judged solely on outcomes. Make it clear you value the process, not just the final product.

When someone takes a risk and puts an idea out there, recognize the courage it takes. Say things like, “I really appreciate your perspective. It got me thinking.” Even if the idea doesn’t hit the mark, the acknowledgment will keep the door open for future input.

3. Use coaching moments to draw them out. One-on-one coaching isn’t just for performance issues. Use those moments to dig deeper. Ask them about their aspirations. What’s their biggest frustration? What’s one thing they’d change if they could?

Sometimes, it’s easier for people to share privately. These moments give them the chance to open up without the fear of being judged by their peers.

4. Lead with curiosity, not answers. When you come into discussions with all the answers, you leave no room for others to think. Instead, start with questions. Real, curious questions. “Why do you think this is happening?” “What would you do differently?” “What’s one thing that’s been on your mind lately?”

When you ask questions with genuine curiosity, you show them you’re more interested in exploring ideas than in pushing your own agenda.

5. Create space for small wins . People will share ideas more freely when they see their contributions matter. Start small. Implement a simple suggestion from a team member and follow through. Then, circle back and tell them how their idea made a difference.

These small wins build trust and signal that their input is valued. The more they see their ideas in action, the more comfortable they’ll feel about sharing bigger ones.

6. Don’t fill the silence. This one’s tough, but powerful. When you ask for input and there’s silence, resist the urge to jump in and fill it.

Silence is uncomfortable, sure, but it’s also space. Space for someone to muster the courage to speak up.

Give them that space. A few seconds of quiet might feel like an eternity, but that’s often when the best ideas surface.

7. Make failure safe. Fear of failure is one of the biggest reasons people hold back. If they think they’ll be criticized for a “bad” idea, they’ll stay silent.

Make it clear that failure is part of the process. Share your own missteps. Tell stories about ideas that didn’t work but led to breakthroughs.

When your team knows that failure is just feedback, they’ll be more willing to take risks.

8. Notice the little things. Pay attention to what lights them up. Maybe it’s a passing comment they made about a book they’re reading, or the way they lit up during a specific project. These tiny signals are clues to what they care about.

Bring them into the conversation later: “I remember you mentioned being interested in design—what’s your take on this?” When you show that you notice the little things, they’ll feel seen and heard, and that builds confidence.

At the end of the day, it’s not about forcing ideas out of people. It’s about creating an environment where they want to share. Where they know their ideas will be met with curiosity, not judgment. Where they feel like their voice adds value to the conversation.

So, start with the small moments. The coaching chats, the casual questions, the recognition of effort. These are the seeds you plant that grow into a culture of openness and creativity. And before you know it, the silence in those meetings will be replaced with a room full of ideas—each one bringing you closer to your goals.

Jef Menguin