Speaker 1: Helping leaders motivate their people to a higher level of
Speaker 1: performance through strong human relations, team building, and goalajving. This
Speaker 1: is the seven Minute Leadership Podcast with your host Paul Fellowledo.
Speaker 1: Hello everyone, and welcome to the Seven Minute Leadership Podcast.
Speaker 1: It's episode two thirty seven, and today we're highlighting a
Speaker 1: crucial and often overlooked leadership skill knowing when to stay silent.
Speaker 1: Growing up in the business world, my boss would always
Speaker 1: tell me that I needed to work on my poker
Speaker 1: face and my temperament, and I'll admit it, it took
Speaker 1: some time for me to understand exactly what he meant.
Speaker 1: But silence isn't weakness, it's wisdom in action. So let's
Speaker 1: break down seven situations where silence can be your strongest response.
Speaker 1: And we'll first start with be silent if you don't
Speaker 1: know the whole story. Leaders don't need all the answers,
Speaker 1: but speaking prematurely can create confusion and damage trust. If
Speaker 1: the facts are unclear, ask questions, gather information, and pause
Speaker 1: before responding. Silence demonstrates patience and ensures you don't mislead
Speaker 1: your team. And then there's be silent when emotions run high.
Speaker 1: In emotionally charged moments. Words can escalate a situation rather
Speaker 1: than diffuse it, whether it's your emotions or someone else's.
Speaker 1: Silence provides space to process, reflect and respond with clarity
Speaker 1: instead of reacting impulsively, and be silent in the heat
Speaker 1: of anger. Anger is a natural emotion, but reacting in
Speaker 1: anger often leads to regret. Staying silent allows you to
Speaker 1: regain control, focus on solutions, and prevent unnecessary conflict. A
Speaker 1: calm leader earns respect and encourages a stable work environment,
Speaker 1: and be silent if your words may offend. Words have power.
Speaker 1: As a leader, you have a responsibility to choose them wisely.
Speaker 1: Silence is the better option when you're uncertain about how
Speaker 1: your words will land and impact others. One wrong statement
Speaker 1: can damage your reputation. Take time to ensure your message
Speaker 1: is constructive, not harmful, and be silent if it could
Speaker 1: ruin a friendship workplace relationships are delicate. If you're tempted
Speaker 1: to say something that could permanently harm a friendship or
Speaker 1: a working relationship, then pause. Silence gives you time to
Speaker 1: weigh the importance of the relationship versus the issue at hand,
Speaker 1: and be silent when you can't speak calmly effective communication
Speaker 1: requires composure. If you can't speak without frustrating a crackling
Speaker 1: voice or sarcasm creeping in, choose silence until you can
Speaker 1: compose yourself. Calm communications earns credibility, while reactive uncomposed speech
Speaker 1: undermines it. And the last one is be silent. If
Speaker 1: silence can save bonds, sometimes the best way to preserve
Speaker 1: relationships is through restraint. This doesn't mean avoiding difficult conversations.
Speaker 1: It means picking the right time and approach to address
Speaker 1: sensitive issues. Silence today can make room for constructive dialogue tomorrow.
Speaker 1: Silence is a tool, not a retreat. Knowing when to
Speaker 1: stay silence shows maturity, thoughtfulness, and a commitment not only
Speaker 1: to your team's success, but also for your leadership credibility.
Speaker 1: Silence gives you the time and space to lead with
Speaker 1: intention and purpose. It also shows a mutual respect for
Speaker 1: the situation and an overall understanding of the whole institute
Speaker 1: of discussions or negotiations. Silence will also help your poker
Speaker 1: face and your temperament and give you time for composure
Speaker 1: when it really matters. This has been the seven Minute
Speaker 1: Leadership Podcast, and I thank you for listening. For more
Speaker 1: Paul fell of Alito Podcasts, visit paulfellowalito dot com