“What does everyone think?”

Silence. Crickets.

Really?

No one has anything to contribute?

The thing is when it’s our turn to speak up, to stand up, often, we fold.

Because we worry what others might say, we are afraid to be judged.

Ironically, when the class or meeting is over, everyone has plenty to say.

Which means we are all capable to contribute. Not all of us see that it is our turn to do so.

It’s your turn.

[As teachers or presenters, we can do a better job facilitating conversation. Instead of asking the audience what they think, we can ask, “What do you think?” It’s a subtle shift, but when we move from wandering generalities to meaningful specifics, enrollment grows.]