During a crucial GM board meeting, Chairman Alfred P. Sloan demonstrated a leadership principle that would become legendary. After hearing heated debates and watching his executives argue passionately, he stated: “Gentlemen, I take it we’re all in disagreement?”
The room fell silent.
His ability to absorb, process, and then speak made him one of the most effective leaders in business history. He turned GM into the world’s largest corporation by mastering this art.
The science backs this up. A 2019 Harvard Business Review study found that leaders who speak last in meetings receive 17% higher effectiveness ratings from their teams.
It’s not just about listening – it’s about presence.
When you speak last, you:
- Gather complete information before deciding
- Make others feel deeply heard
- Gain time to process complex dynamics
- Build trust through patience
- Command attention when you finally speak
The Japanese have a term for this: “mokusatsu” – killing with silence, not in a negative way, but in the art of letting others exhaust their thoughts before offering wisdom.
Try this the next time you’re in a heated discussion: Sit back. Take notes. Watch body language. Let others empty their minds. Then, only then, speak with the full weight of accumulated wisdom.
True power isn’t in speaking first. It’s in speaking last.
