When I'm in a group where people are talking about something, often my preferences for who would speak are not the same as who actually speaks. When the thoughtful people are shy, uncertain, or reserved it's too easy for the conversation to continue without them. One solution I've stumbled upon is giving visual support: when I notice someone who's been quiet is trying to say something I give them my attention. That is, I look at them as if I'm expecting them to be the next person to speak. Which also means I'm not looking at the people with lower internal barriers to talking. It's a kind of voting with your eyes.
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