Here's the problem: our brains confuse confidence with competence.

It's a cognitive shortcut called the "confidence heuristic" — we assume people who speak with certainty must know what they're talking about.

They don't always.

The overconfident team member dominates the airtime. Speaks with certainty. Shuts down objections.

Meanwhile, your best insights stay silent:

• The analyst with the data waits for a gap that never comes

• The introvert with the breakthrough assumes it's not worth interrupting

• The junior who spotted the flaw is too intimidated to speak

You're not getting the best decision. You're getting the loudest one.

Why? Because of two psychological traps:

• Social proof bias - when a confident person speaks, others assume agreement is safe

• Authority bias - we mistake dominance for expertise

The cost? Decisions based on charisma, not data. Groupthink disguised as consensus. Preventable failures.

Ask: Who do I let speak just because they speak more?

Then:

• Call on quiet people first: "Sarah, what's your take?"

• Challenge certainty: "Walk me through the data"

• Create psychological safety: "I want to hear dissenting views"
  
  

Who's loud but not always right on your team? Who's quiet but consistently insightful?

This week, give the quiet ones the floor first.

The best teams don't amplify the most confident voices. They amplify the most valuable ones.