Productive Awkward Silences
Feb 20, 2021
Context
Videoconferencing makes it possible to run group discussions that couldn’t happen before. However, they make group dynamics more complex, most notably deciding when to speak and when to remain silent.
Problem
Lower prevalence of body language, inability to create ad hoc side channels (such as whispering to one’s neighbor’s ear), shyness, wariness of micro-aggressions and many, many other factors can cause online classes and discussions involving strangers to devolve into uneasy silences. Organizers can be tempted to intervene every time nobody seems to be speaking, perhaps out of fear of an awkward moment.
Solution
Letting the room stay silent for 20 to 30 seconds before an organizer intervenes enables better participation from everyone around.