Management Tip of the Day: Bring Out Quieter Voices on Your Team

Are you having trouble viewing this email? If so, click here to see it in a web browser. HOME   |   TIPS   |   BLOGS   |   THE MAGAZINE   |   BOOKS   |   STORE RSS   |   Mobile SEPTEMBER 26, 2012 Bring Out Quieter Voices on Your Team In groups it's often the non-expert, the outlier, or the person who isn't in charge who has the most interesting idea. You need to structure ways to hear that person or you will always drown him out. Here's how: Air out differences. Talk openly about the opportunities and challenges of working together. Do it anonymously by letting people write down their concerns and then discussing them as a group. Let the non-expert talk first. Flip the relationship between the expert and the novice. Start the meeting by having those with the least expertise give their perspectives first. Ask what you're missing. This should be one person's job. Don't assign the role ahead of time, but randomly select a person in the meeting so everyone pays attention and is equally prepared. Today's Management Tip was adapted from "Collaboration by Difference" by Cathy Davidson. Watch the video and join the discussion » Share Today's Tip: FEATURED PRODUCT Finance: A Self-Paced Learning Program Online Tools The Finance Self-Paced Learning Program provides a fundamental understanding of the principles, analytical tools, and knowledge needed to make good investment and financing decisions. Developed by Harvard Business School faculty for use in MBA and executive education courses at HBS and other leading business schools, as well as Fortune 2,000 companies this program will introduce you to finance ratios, forecasting methods, capital structure theory, and risk-return analysis and then demonstrate how to apply these concepts in several different approaches to valuing a business. ADVERTISEMENT Follow the Tip: PREVIOUS TIPS Get Feedback, Even If You're the Boss Out of Time? Give Some Away Give Employees Freedom, Within Limits Start Your New Client Relationship Right Match Your Presentation to Your Audience Make Decisions Simpler for Your Customers Choose the Right Tools to Communicate With Your Virtual Team Ask for More Before Granting a Favor Create a Vision that Motivates Your Team Manage a Diverse and Dispersed Team All Previous Tips BEST SELLERS HBR's 10 Must Reads: The Essentials HBR's Must Reads Library Set Guide to Persuasive Presentations Guide to Better Business Writing Guide to Getting the Right Work Done Introducing Mobile ManageMentor Powered by the proven content of Harvard ManageMentor™ iTunes >> Android >> UNSUBSCRIBE   |   UPDATE YOUR PROFILE   |   MORE EMAIL NEWSLETTERS   |   PRIVACY POLICY Was this email forwarded to you? If so, sign up to start receiving your own copy. ABOUT THIS MAILING LIST You have received this message because you subscribed to the "Management Tip of the Day" email newsletter from Harvard Business Review. If at any point you wish to remove yourself from this list, change your email address, or sign up for other email newsletters and alerts, please visit the Harvard Business Review Email Newsletter Preference Center. OPT OUT If you do not wish to receive any email messages from Harvard Business Review, click here. ADVERTISE WITH HBR This enewsletter is read by thousands of decision makers every day. Learn more about connecting your brand with this audience. Copyright © 2012 Harvard Business School Publishing, an affiliate of Harvard Business School. All rights reserved. Harvard Business Publishing | 60 Harvard Way | Boston, MA 02163 Customer Service: 800-545-7685 (+1-617-783-7600 outside the U.S. and Canada)