Collaborative meetings are necessary for businesses. Employees need to brainstorm for a plan of action for the company’s goals.
But sadly, not all meetings are productive.
Some People Just Show Off in Meetings
Some meetings are a form of power play. Attendees overly show off their talking points hoping that you notice. A few managers want to show that they’re worthy of their position. A number just wants a promotion.
Yes, some do contribute brilliant ideas. But a lot of times, they just talk too much; spewing a lot of filler. After all, the more you say, the smarter you seem — or so people think.
As a business owner, you want results. And these airy speakers rarely deliver. And often, they’re actually outperformed by that quiet employee in your meetings.
So, how do you spot these high performers in your team?
Watch the Quiet People
A study shows that, on average, two people monopolize a six-person meeting 60% of the time. It begs the question. What do quiet people contribute to meetings? Are they just dead weight?
Far from that. Conversely, the loudest person in the room is not necessarily the brightest.
Watch your quiet employees. Some of them can turn out to be the hidden superstars in your team.
Here are 3 signs that the quiet employees in meetings are actually your high performers.
They Know When to Speak – and When to Shut Up
Quiet people do speak in meetings. Observe them when they do.
During meetings, listen to what they’re saying. Are the ideas worthy of your attention? Or is it a bunch of hi-falutin words thrown in to make them look smart?
More often, quiet people get their point across concisely. With just a few words, they can convey relevant -even brilliant- ideas.
Basically, they know when to speak – and when to shut up. They value their teammates’ time, so they contribute ideas as succinctly as possible.
They Know When to Listen and Learn
As the late productivity author Stephen Covey said, “Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.”
In other words, people engage in discourse without truly understanding each other’s points. How can that be collaborative?
Quiet people typically listen to understand and learn. They usually take notes and ask the right questions as needed.
And you can recognise this in the quality of their responses during meetings.
Are Doers, Not Talkers
Learning new things in meetings is meaningless when you don’t apply them — this is the greatest litmus test if a meeting was effective.
Most often, your quiet people are doers and not talkers.
Watch their actions. Are they improving their workflow with the things they learned from the meeting? Are they executing their part correctly in the campaigns or projects?
Actions speak louder than words. And you want people who deliver results -not just empty chatter.
Hire Quiet But Incredible People
Quiet doesn’t mean incompetent. Change your perspective and you might find it easier to find key people for your business.
If you’re looking for your next high performers, you can view our candidates of pre-qualified Filipino remote workers.
Call us or schedule a callback for any inquiries. Cheers to finding the best people for your team!
Leandro is a content creator and digital nomad who started his career as a remote working content writer. He is an advocate of location independent sources of income. And he believes that everyone has the ability to be one as well. If you have any content requests and suggestions, feel free to email him at leandro@remotestaff.com.
