Invite quiet into your habits. Remove any discomfort of silence together in groups. Start with a minute on your next meeting and go from there.

Silence is often perceived as a gap to be filled. Quiet may feel awkward in a group environment. However, research on decision-making indicates that structured intentional silence can be a powerful tool for individuals and groups. A bit of shared quiet can set the stage for emerging voices to chime in and it may create space for creativity to arise. Use the prompts below and add your own to try.