Have you ever noticed what happens five seconds after you ask a difficult question?
Silence.
Then the leader jumps in.
“We can come back to that…”
“Maybe it’s not that important…”
“Here’s what I’m thinking…”
And the elephant survives another meeting.
The uncomfortable truth is that silence isn’t the problem. It’s often the doorway to the real conversation.
Most teams aren’t waiting for the answer. They’re waiting for someone brave enough to speak first.
When a leader fills every quiet moment, they’re often solving the discomfort instead of the issue.
The next time your team goes quiet after a difficult question, resist the urge to rescue them.
Count to ten.
Someone may finally have the courage to name the elephant everyone else can already see.
