Have you ever been in a meeting where the chair asked something like, "Does that plan sound ok to everyone?" Perhaps there was a brief pause, an assenting remark or two, a couple of nods and silence from the rest. "All right, then it’s a go," the chair may have said.
Silence does not mean "Yes, I agree."
Silence can mean: I’m still thinking about it. I may agree but am not sure yet. Yes, I agree. No, I don’t agree but I’m not going to say it out loud here. No, I don’t agree but I’ll never admit to it.
If you’re trying to make a wise and effective decision, avoid the "assumed yes" trap. When there’s silence, ask those folks what their silence means. Don’t challenge, invite.
