Who gets heard in the room?

I’ve been thinking about workplace transformation since attending an IoDSA webinar on putting people at the heart of governance, and it reminded me of some experiences I had during my corporate career.

We were often invited to participate in cross-department group discussions on various topics. I understood the intention behind the discussions, but the format wasn’t particularly comfortable for me. Some people enjoy sharing their experiences in a group, whereas I prefer one-on-one conversations or much smaller groups, particularly when discussing something personal.

It reminded me of conversations I’d had with an HR colleague who often encouraged me to speak up more during leadership sessions and group discussions. I understood what was being said, and I did make an effort to follow the advice, but it wasn’t easy for me.

I remember asking in a passing conversation how they catered for introverts, because many of the activities seemed better suited to people who were naturally comfortable speaking in groups. The answer was to break people into smaller groups during workshops, which was true, but my question went beyond the organised workshops. What about everyday meetings and leadership discussions?

I remember leadership sessions with groups of at least 20 people, where I’d start contributing to a discussion and someone louder would start speaking while I was still talking. If the facilitator heard multiple people speaking, they would intervene. Often, I was told that I spoke too softly and people couldn’t hear me.

I recognise that learning to speak up and communicate more confidently is useful, and it was something I consciously tried to improve. But I also wonder how much responsibility should sit with the individual to adapt, and how much should sit with the organisation to create an environment where different personalities and communication styles are accommodated.

Smaller group discussions during organised workshops are one way of addressing this, but inclusion doesn’t only happen during workshops. It also happens in everyday meetings, conversations and decisions.

I don’t think my experience explains why workplace transformation initiatives sometimes seem to reach a certain point and then struggle to progress further. But it does make me wonder whether we’re paying enough attention to the everyday behaviours that influence who participates and whose views are heard.

It’s one thing to invite different people into a discussion. It’s another to make sure they have a genuine opportunity to contribute.