The Power of Strategic Silence: A Quiet Strength for Effective Leadership, by Jonathan H. Westover, PhD

Abstract: This article examines the underutilized yet potent leadership tool of strategic silence. While communication skills rightly remain a focus in leadership literature, certain studies now validate that selectively employing stillness over additional speech can foster psychological safety, build trust, and enhance decision-making by allowing time for reflection, understanding diverse perspectives, and formulating thoughtful responses. Drawing from situational leadership theories, case examples illustrated across nonprofits, healthcare, academia and technology demonstrate strategic silence's versatility in empowering staff, mitigating resistance to change, facilitating open discussion, and maintaining presence with minimal interference through judicious usage of attentive listening. Ultimately, the article makes a compelling case that adeptly alternating commentary with well-timed stillness optimizes outcomes for any organizational leader by cultivating understanding, eliciting discretionary efforts, and advancing goals through discerning when thoughtfully deploy one's voice versus yield the floor.