Talkative Guy Might Have Your Change Solution!

Meetings about change are filled with diverse people who may or may not drive you crazy. It is in this incredible diversity that solutions are found.  Believe it or not, each person brings something to the table:

• People who  argue in meetings vehemently energize meetings with their tremendous passion.
• People who polish their thoughts before sharing them bring tremendous value to the conversation.
• People who bring humor to the table diffuse tense moments and allow more open conversation.
• People who sit quietly bring an ability to capture the tiniest details that can be shared once the meeting is over.
• People who share every thought out loud accelerate the generation of ideas.
• People who raise their hands to speak remind everyone of polite behavior that takes others into consideration.
• People who interrupt remind everyone of a passion that can’t keep its thoughts to itself.

Just because someone’s style is different from ours doesn’t mean it’s wrong. If we are facing the turmoil of change, we need every type of person at the table, because they represent the same diverse personalities out in the workforce.

Homogenous groups tend to come with the same solutions over and over again. To compete in this ever-changing world we need a diverse portfolio of ideas.

So the next time somebody does something in a meeting that gets on your last nerve, write down the value you think they bring to the table. Then look beyond their behavior to the words behind it. Even if you think they talk too much, you might just find the solution in their soliloquy.

People are amazing, and the best ideas come during passionate times of change. Listen. The solutions are there, resting in the minds of those people that might just drive you a little bit crazy.