Rahul Dayanand is looking intently at each of his five team members. He hopes that at least one powerful idea will emerge from the team. He expects them to come out with solution to address the issue on hand – a botched up product launch. The stakes are high. Time is minimal. The top leadership team is crazily behind Rahul Dayanand to address the issue at once. Hence, the COO and CEOs secretary are present in this meeting as observers.
This is Rahul’s team of young and bright individuals who have excellent academic records and decent work experience. Rahul is speaking to them for the last 15 minutes on the goof up that happened three days ago during the recent product launch. The company’s entire dealer network and few prestigious customers were present to witness the new product being unveiled. During the product showcase, the machine didn’t perform up to its hype, which made many dealers lose interest. The Sales records show that only few 5 % dealers have placed orders for this new product. Those who left the launch function disappointed have not placed any orders for this new product in the last three days. This is a cause of concern for Rahul’s company as they are banking on success of this product for current year’s performance.
Rahul elaborated on the need to win back trust and confidence of dealers and reestablish the company’s reputation. Now he wants the team to suggest remedial actions, but unfortunately they are not coming forward. Rahul prods them more and a heavy silence falls upon the room. The usually outspoken Mathew and Manasvi seem withdrawn from the discussion and avoid looking at him. Rahul observes little strange behaviours from other team members too. Anupama seems to be fully involved in the conversation with her head nods and eye contacts, but her hands are involved in doodling. Vijay Sharma seems to be in a meditative posture as if to attract a big idea from the Universe. Yashvant looks restless, feels mentally drained and waits for someone else to crack the code.
Rahul is generally positive and appreciative of his team, which usually owns up responsibilities and resolve issues quickly. But he is not sure if that will happen in this case considering the body language and the behaviours of his people. Hence he decides to give them a break and conveys that the meeting will resume after 30 minutes.
Rahul moves towards his cabin along with the COO and the CEOs secretary, while all his team members walk towards the cafeteria. Inside the cafeteria, they loosen up a bit and start expressing their ideas and argue over them. Their behavior in the cafeteria is vastly different from their behavior inside the meeting room few minutes ago. Why does this happen?
I believe this happens in many organisations at some point of time or the other. Some reasons can be attributable to Individuals while some to the external environment and prevailing culture.
Individual specific reasons may be:
. Lack of Self confidence
· Fear of judgments
· Fear of being ridiculed and laughed at
· Self doubt – about the efficacy of one’s idea
· Perceived inferiority in a hierarchy, etc.
The external reasons may be:
· Presence of one or more dominant personalities
· Non inclusive & unsafe space
· Lack of supporters to one’s ideas
· Time Pressure
· Lack of respectful listening, etc.
Respectful Listening is highly underrated in our work culture. Unless this aspect is given due importance and encouragement, any meeting will witness similar behaviours exhibited by Rahul’s team. Such meetings may become unproductive, energy drainers and mere time wasters.
Respectful listening involves –
· Accepting completely different viewpoints - with due respect to the view and to its proponent
· Acknowledging individual contributions
· Refraining from interrupting, particularly if you are senior in position compared to the speaker
· Establishing clear norms for listening, questioning and analyzing an idea/ suggestion/ solution
· Addressing disrespectful behaviours head on - talking over someone, dismissal of ideas the moment they are expressed, etc.
Karl A. Menninger says “Listening is a magnetic and strange thing, a creative force. When we are listened to, it creates us, makes us unfold and expand”
Do you really want to unfold things and contributions from your people?
Do you want to expand them?
Do you want your meetings to be highly productive?
Please create norms for Respectful Listening and keep reinforcing its benefits.