People don't open up at the push of a button

Sound familiar?

You've prepared carefully. The agenda is clear, the content matters, and everyone has joined.

Then you ask a question.

The same two people answer. They always do. Everyone else waits, cameras on, microphones off.

You know there's more in the room. You just can't reach it.

It's not that the quiet ones have nothing to say

When a group goes quiet, it's tempting to decide that some people are just shy or not interested. But people hold back for all kinds of reasons. They need time to think. They don't want to interrupt. They're not sure their idea is ready yet. Or nobody has made it feel safe to try.

And when the loudest voices fill the space, you don't just lose participation. You lose ideas, perspectives, and the people who could have changed the conversation.

Here's the good news: most of this is a design problem. And design problems can be solved.

About the session

This isn't a talk about engagement. It's an hour where you'll experience it, then unpack what just happened.

On a shared Collaboard board, you'll move through a short sequence of activities that start easy and build step by step. You'll discover what energizes and drains different people in the group. You'll take on a small challenge together and notice who gets heard and who doesn't. And you'll see how a few simple design choices change who speaks up.

Then Jan shares three strategies you can use right away to include quieter voices, without putting anyone on the spot.

Stay on afterwards for an optional afterglow of about 15 minutes for your questions and conversation.

Who it's for

Anyone who brings people together online: facilitators, trainers, team leads, HR and L&D professionals, and community builders. Whether you're the quiet one yourself or the one trying to draw others out, you'll leave with something to try in your next session.

What you'll take away

• Why people stay quiet in groups, and why "they're just introverts" is rarely the whole story
• What happens when nobody designs the conversation, and who gets left out
• Three simple strategies to include quieter voices without forcing anyone into the spotlight

Your speaker: Jan Keck

Jan Keck helps groups move from small talk to real connection. A recovering shy kid and people-loving introvert, he now works as a facilitator, trainer, and TEDx speaker, and he's the author of The Campfire Method. His approach: stop breaking the ice. Start melting it.

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Can't make it live? Register anyway and we'll send you the recording.