Ever been in a meeting that feels more like a “talk shop” where senior leaders speak first and often, eclipsing everyone else?

You’re not alone. And Kellogg’s Sanjay Khosla, an executive coach, suggests this phenomenon happens quite often. Senior leaders convene strategic-planning sessions with tons of voices from across departments but then dominate the agenda rather than capitalizing on the talent in the room. To drive better company strategy, leaders should implement a different, perhaps surprising, tactic for strategic-planning meetings: mute the boss.

Today, Khosla explains why muting the boss may be necessary, and how to pull it off.

Plus, seeing the world from someone else’s perspective from Kellogg’s Gina Fong.

“Muting the boss”

First, make room for your team to shine.

It’s no surprise that “command and control” becomes a default approach for leaders, Khosla says. “Plus, a lot of bosses have strong personalities.”

Leaders need a structure that keeps their strong personality in check so others can shine; otherwise, they risk perpetuating what Khosla calls a “negative spiral” of disengagement.

Another step that will help leaders follow through with being muted is to define the meeting’s objectives with a narrow, actionable focus. If everyone involved knows what the team is trying to achieve, then the potential for getting sidetracked is greatly reduced. This process of defining the objective often requires several back-and-forth conversations with colleagues, Khosla explains. But it is worth the preparation.

Assembling people with the right mix of skill, function, and experience for strategic-planning sessions can also help leaders get comfortable with being muted.

“Diversity of thought is a competitive advantage,” Khosla says.

Before you fill the room with the usual seasoned leaders, Khosla says, identify high-potential employees of all levels with a track record of success—“champions of change.” This broadens the pool of ideas and acts as an incentive for more-junior team members to offer fresh perspectives.

Leaders should also consider appointing a meeting facilitator. This person should be a trusted, senior colleague who knows the business and has strong communication, management, and relational skills. During meetings, staying muted can be challenging and uncomfortable for bosses, especially in hierarchical cultures. So Khosla emphasizes that the facilitator must monitor the leader’s verbal and nonverbal communication and, when needed, intervene.

Once, Khosla pulled a boss aside to point out that, even though they stayed silent, their actions signaled that they weren’t interested.

“Even a mute boss can say a lot,” Khosla says. “Muting the boss is not simply not speaking, but also watching your body language.”

Read more from Khosla in Kellogg Insight.

Enjoy the rest of your week!

Blake Goble, marketing manager
Kellogg Insight