When Collaborative Teams are Silent

A team’s consistent silence is a dangerous phenomenon. The absence of dialogue, collegiality and authentic collaboration perpetuates an unhealthy work culture. When teams fail to engage in dialogue and discussion, new and innovative ideas are left undiscovered and flawed ideas persist unchallenged.?

Silence within the collaborative team usually indicates a deeper issue of team dynamics, such as a lack of trust and psychological safety amongst team members and/or leaders. Team members who feel like their voice isn’t heard or have a history of ideas being dismissed or ignored can lead to team members choosing to remain quiet during collaborative sessions. Poor team collaboration often results in overlooked mistakes, missed learning opportunities, and initiatives derailed by hidden resistance and sabotage. Overtime, silos emerge and strengthen as individuals disengage from the team. When leaders notice an overwhelming silence among teams, it's a warning sign that needs immediate attention. Leaving it unaddressed will only deepen the problem.?

Red Flags That Need Attention?

• The sit back and wait approach is routinely utilized. Team members wait for extended time for others to speak or for the ‘leader/facilitator’ to provide answers or tell team members what to do.?
• There is a lack of authentic collegiality. Team members may experience wonderful civility but do not engage in deeper conversation or meaningful collaboration.?
• Frequent side conversations arise. Some of it could benefit the team, but team members may be uncomfortable sharing in front of the whole team.
• One or two dominate the conversation while others may not say anything for the entire meeting. The dominant person/s leads the dialogue and decisions, resulting in introverts feeling unheard, unsupported and ultimately withdrawn.?
• A team member’s communication style is frequently presented in an assertive manner. This may contribute to people staying silent as it is coming across as expertise and authoritative, irrespective of the accuracy or not. ?
• Too much “I,” not enough “We.”?
• Groupthink has become the norm. Team members comply to avoid tension, even though they may independently act on the contrary to the decisions made by the group.
• Conflicts linger among team members. This can include hidden and old grievances as well as personality clashes.?
• Imbalance of power dynamics. Team members feel nervous to give feedback or are unable to accept it themselves. Psychological safety is a fundamental element to team collaboration without out, teams can not be effective. The fear of repercussions from disagreeing with dominant co-workers can often lead teammates to stay silent, as it feels less daunting than facing potential conflict.

Silent teams struggle to achieve team synergy and productivity. In order to break the silence and foster engagement and collaboration, it is important for members to learn about their team dynamics and develop a stronger sense of connection between each other.?Teams that are dominated by silence need proactive support and guidance from leaders to navigate these challenges effectively, as they cannot address these issues on their own.??

Shifting silent teams to a culture of openness and communication takes patience and strategic effort. Creating an encouraging environment is the first priority, one that encourages idea generation that doesn't need to be flawless. Using clarifying questions to spark deeper conversations, and paying attention to both body language and the words we use are essential to creating an encouraging environment. When teams collaborate successfully they tend to be happier, seeing themselves and their peers as impactful contributors. The journey to this transformation is well worth the investment.?

Strategies to Overcome Silence in Teams

1. Create opportunities for team members to share low-stakes, something personal or light-hearted that feels safe and non-threatening.
2. Use team collaboration tools such as adaptive schools protocols and norms of collaboration to provide structure for engagement and dialogue.?
3. Invite co-creation of meeting agenda items and facilitators.
4. Collaboratively set clear and actionable goals.
5. Allocate time for team-building activities within scheduled meetings. Get to know an individual team member’s communication styles, interests, passions and expertise.?
6. Embrace the awkwardness and discomfort of silence as individuals may need additional time to process and collect their thoughts. When silence lingers extensively, try rephrasing or breaking down the question or thought into smaller parts.
7. Encourage open communication and feedback, utilizing a variety of different methods.?
8. Promote DEIB practices within the team and across the organization, as diversity and divergent thinking enrich collaboration by offering multiple perspectives, experiences, and approaches; creating a rich environment where collaboration can thrive.?
9. Draw upon team members' experience and expertise to inform discussions.
10. Facilitate brainstorming sessions that actively seek input and ideas from all team members. Use a variety of different tools and approaches to generate ideas.?

A team’s persistent silence can stifle collaboration, diminish productivity, and weaken workplace culture. By identifying the signs early, leaders can empower teams through their support and guidance to overcome the silence and cultivate deeper connections that can lead to impactful collaboration.

Take Care,

Dr. Sarah Trevaskis