A man walks out of a meeting and says, “I hope I said enough!”

A woman walks out of a meeting and says, “I hope I didn’t say too much”.

I heard this example years ago during a diversity training session. It brought a wry smile to my face.

Rather than applying broad strokes or creating generalizations about men and women, I will say that these represent two divergent ends of the spectrum in a workplace. One person seeks recognition, while another constantly monitors their speech, fearful of criticism.

To the former, I would ask, “What are you trying to achieve through your communication? Ideally, it is to share your perspective in service of a clear goal. Simply talking at others rarely accomplishes that.”

To the latter, I would say, “What if you have something valuable to contribute, something that could advance the organization’s objectives? Silencing yourself may deprive the team of meaningful progress.”

I once mentored a young woman who described herself as an introvert. She shared with me that her team leader often made it a point to invite her perspective if she had not contributed to a team discussion.

I can only assume she had learned to speak with intention, contributing thoughtfully and when it mattered. Unknowingly she was creating a personal brand. Not the loudest in the room, or the first one to speak. And yet, someone whose perspective was valued and sought after.

Imagine the productivity we would gain if we communicated with purpose.