Is Silence Louder Than Your Opinion?

Managing this sensitive aspect will allow leaders to stand out, says Uzair Hassan of 3H solutions.

OPINION PIECE

Uzair Hassan 3H Solutions, Dubai, UAE

6/19/20262 min read

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They say, silence is louder than words. In fact, that is not true. Is this a conspiracy against speaking up? After all, you must be heard. Your voice has weight. Your opinions matter, and have the power to change things.

It is said that your silence tells your story better than words. The opposite is also true. Your words tell your story better than your silence.

In corporate speak, involvement, engagement, inclusion all push your voice to be heard. Speak out. Speak up. Give your input. Provide feedback. Give suggestions, ideas, ways to improve. Contribute.

If a customer is keeping quiet, it may not be a good thing. If they speak up you may be able to solve their challenge.

Exceptional leaders know that silence creates insight, but words create impact.

After all, how would anyone know what is on your mind if you remain silent.

Silence can provide opportunities for others to misread your unspoken thoughts, allow for misunderstandings, distort your true message, allow for misinterpretations and your message may be lost on others.

On the flipside, silence can be an enabler:

Of evil.

Of mediocrity.

Of injustice.

Of poor leadership.

Speak up.

In my experience, blowing your own trumpet has its advantages as well. Being too subtle or modest or underselling yourself may have its own upsides, but the downside it can have is not worth testing those waters. Silence=0, Speaking up=1.

The courage to speak an uncomfortable truth far outweighs the ability to remain silent. After all, silence can also be seen as complicity. Silence can be due to wisdom, or, fear guised as wisdom. It could be avoidance. It could also be contextual. If a leader remains silent as he is listening deeply and giving an issue the focus it deserves, that’s a good thing. Alternatively, if a leader observes poor behavior and remains silent, that’s not a good thing. Contextual. Knowing when to engage and voice your opinions and when to stay silent is a critical yet delicate balancing skill.

The corporate world is working hard to push for voices to be heard, may they be the customers or the employees. “Speak up” is a mantra many organizations extoll, many corporate strategies are built around cooperation, collaboration, and communicating effectively. Leaders may use their silence as a show of strength and stature while others may use it to avoid confrontation, getting involved, providing support. Seemingly floating above it all and remaining stoic.

Silence, is an answer in-itself. Silence, or not answering, is also answering. Communication has its subtleties. If you’re not answering a call from someone, you are communicating a clear message. So yes, silence may convey a message, but words articulated, measured and bolstered by facts have an impact far more than silence.

So, silence conveys a message, sometimes a strong one. But, in the long race to being understood, leading effectively, of speaking up when silence is doing damage, when injustice, crime and evil are beginning to cast a shadow longer than silence, speak up.

On a lighter note, as they say, silence is golden, but, duct tape is silver.

Uzair Hassan

CEO, Three H Solutions

Uzair.hassan@3hsolutions.biz

https://www.linkedin.com/in/uzair-hassan-6451024/