Some of the most important things said in a meeting are the ones that complicate the story. A concern that wasn’t on the radar, a perspective shaped by a different part of the organization or a question that slows the pace for a moment.
They’re not detours; they’re part of how shared understanding gets built.
If you’re not careful, it’s easy to miss them, especially when time is tight or when a team has already begun to move in a defined direction. The space for difference can narrow without anyone meaning to narrow it.
Making room in those moments takes a certain kind of attention to notice what’s being said and what isn’t. It requires a sense of timing, knowing when to keep listening, and when the group is ready to move.
This kind of openness doesn’t always change the outcome, but it often changes how people feel about the outcome. It determines whether they see themselves in it and whether they trust how that outcome was reached. In the long run, that matters just as much as the decision itself.