Understanding your team’s thinking style

Do you talk to think — or think to talk?

This one question changed how I understand team dynamics.

A leader recently told me they were trying to “fix” their team’s communication:
“The quiet ones need to speak up. The vocal ones need to tone it down.”

This leader…
–>They weren’t solving a communication problem.
–>They were overlooking a processing difference.

People process ideas differently.

Some talk to think:
↳ They figure things out as they speak
↳ Refine ideas through sharing
↳ Gain energy from discussion

Others think to talk:
↳ They build ideas quietly
↳ Connect the dots internally
↳ Speak when their thoughts feel complete

Neither is wrong. Both are valuable.

What looks like “holding back” may be thoughtful reflection.
What feels like “taking over” might be thinking out loud.

Start designing for how they process.
-Time to talk
-Space to think
-Respect for both

The best ideas don’t come from uniformity.
They come when every thinking style has room to breathe.