ExchangeEveryDay Past Issues

Francis, I do think Terrell addresses your first point - by establishing a practice of listening - thoughtful listening - leaders establish the climate (political and otherwise) that makes it safe to listen. As for your second point, I've observed so many cultural differences in how and how much to participate. Again, Terrell's advice to leaders on listening serves well. And it takes extra effort to then gracefully intervene when one or more people dominate, and to notice and make space for voices that express non-dominant views.

I think this is good advice. However, two questions need to be addressed. First, why do some people not feel comfortable expressing their feelings? I remember participating in several meetings where I vocally expressed an unpopular point-of-view. After these meetings several participants congratulated on my statements, and explicitly said, "we wanted to say the same thing, but politically could not". (Many are aware from experience just how political the ECE field is). The second question to be addressed is why some people appear to dominate meetings (or are perceived to dominate them). In over 90% of the meetings that I have attended during my career, I was the only male participant. As such I felt a responsibility to express certain viewpoints that otherwise would not have been addressed. Many viewed this as "taking over" the meeting.