Think about your last leadership meetings. Who spoke the most? Who dominated the conversation? More importantly—who didn’t speak at all? If you’re only hearing from the same few voices, your team isn’t operating at its full potential. Some of your best thinkers—your most strategic, creative, and experienced leaders—could be sitting in silence. And that silence isn’t accidental.
Women of Culture, in particular, often hold back. This is not because they lack ideas but because they’ve seen what happens when they speak up. Their suggestions are dismissed, and someone else repeats their idea and gets the credit. Worse, they are labeled as too aggressive, too hesitant, or “not leadership material.”
This isn’t just a people problem—it’s a business problem. When leaders fail to create space for diverse perspectives, they lose out on innovation, engagement, and high-performing talent.
The question isn’t just who is speaking up—it’s who isn’t, and why.
Why Women of Culture Hold Back in Meetings
A senior leader I worked with—a brilliant woman in financial services—led high-performing teams and delivered exceptional results. But in leadership meetings, she rarely voiced her ideas. When I asked why, she said, “I’ve learned to pick my battles. Every time I challenge a perspective, I get resistance. But when my colleague says the same thing? Everyone listens.”
She wasn’t alone in that experience.
Many Women of Culture hesitate to contribute, not because they lack insight, but because they’ve learned that their input is often questioned, interrupted, or ignored. Why push forward when past experience has taught them it’s easier to stay quiet?
Many organizations miss the fact that these quiet voices are often the most thoughtful, strategic, and innovative. If leaders aren’t intentional about creating space for them, they risk missing out on ideas that could drive their business forward.
“If You’re Only Hearing from the Loudest Voices, Your Business is Losing Out.”
The Cost of Overlooking Quiet Voices
Let’s pause for a moment. Imagine a meeting where every person at the table is encouraged to contribute, where no one has to fight to be heard. Imagine the ideas, breakthroughs, and engagement that could result.
Now, imagine the opposite—how much potential is lost when only a handful of voices dominate the conversation? How many talented leaders quietly disengage because they don’t feel their contributions matter?
When certain voices aren’t heard, businesses pay the price.
Innovation stalls. Companies that don’t leverage diverse perspectives make poorer decisions 87% of the time. If your meetings are missing key voices, your strategies may be too.
Engagement drops. Employees who feel unheard are four times more likely to disengage. High-performing Women of Culture won’t fight to be heard forever. Eventually, they’ll leave for organizations that value their contributions.
The leadership pipeline weakens. If Women of Culture aren’t speaking up in meetings, they’re not getting visibility. And they’re not being seen as leadership-ready.
“Don’t wait until top talent walks out the door to realize you should have been listening.”
How Leaders Can Build a Speak-Up Culture in Meetings
Creating an environment where every voice is heard doesn’t require a dramatic overhaul, but it does require intention.
1. Structure Your Meetings for Inclusion
Meetings naturally favor the most outspoken contributors unless they are designed differently. Instead of letting the loudest voices lead, try this:
- Start with a roundtable approach where each person has a chance to contribute before an open discussion.
- Offer pre-meeting prompts so that those who process better in writing can gather their thoughts.
- Watch for interruptions and idea-stealing—if someone repeats a Woman of Culture’s idea, redirect credit back to her.
2. Set the Tone as a Leader
Psychological safety starts at the top. If employees don’t feel their voices are valued, they won’t use them.
- Instead of waiting for someone to speak up, actively invite quieter voices into the conversation. Try:
- “I’d love to hear what you think, [Name].”
- “We haven’t heard from [Name] yet—what’s your take?”
- If a Woman of Culture’s idea is dismissed or ignored, circle back to it:
- “I want to go back to [Name]’s point—it’s worth exploring further.”
Small shifts like this send a powerful message: Your voice matters here.
3. Ask for Feedback—and Act on It
The best way to know if your meetings are inclusive? Ask.
- “Do you feel comfortable sharing your ideas in meetings?”
- “Are there ways we could make discussions more inclusive?”
Actively create space for honest feedback.
The Kind of Leader You Want to Be
Leadership is about shaping culture. It’s about creating inclusive spaces where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to contribute.
So, here’s the question: In your meetings, who gets to be heard? And who do you need to make space for?
Because when every voice is heard, the whole organization wins. And when leaders make that a priority, they don’t just build better teams—they build better businesses.
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