A few years ago a client retained me to chair a series of meetings. As is often the case, some participants were “talkers” and tended to dominate. Others were “thinkers” and could have been left behind (together with their knowledge and wisdom) unless steps were taken to prevent this from happening.

I responded to this challenge with the usual techniques to “level the playing field,” e.g.: encouraging outspoken members to be concise and make time available for others to speak, prompting quieter members to speak (even if they were not raising their hands), asking for “round table” comments on specific issues (with each person given an opportunity of a short remark), etc.

My next goal was to involve some quieter members in leadership roles. On one occasion, I approached one such person and asked her to make a 15-minute presentation at the next meeting, covering a topic she was very familiar with. Her instinctive response was: “Eli, I am one of the world’s worst public speakers. When I speak in public, my heart pounds, my knees shake, and my palms sweat.”

I responded to her comment by first acknowledging that public speaking was indeed one of humanity’s greatest fears, but then encouraged her to make the presentation despite this difficulty. I also offered to help her with any advice. Reluctantly, she agreed to make the presentation.

She did not contact me for any advice, and I began to worry. A few days before the meeting I called to see how she was doing. She said she was getting her presentation ready, but was still very unsure about how to handle stage fright.

The day of the meeting arrived. Much to my surprise (and that of others), her presentation was flawless. The content was inspiring and thought provoking. The delivery was smooth and no nervousness was apparent. When she concluded she received a spontaneous standing ovation from the group. She may have felt nervous (as she acknowledged later), but it didn’t show. If that was “the world’s worst public speaker,” I wondered what the best one was like.

The lessons? First, when guiding a group’s decision-making process, don’t limit yourself to the “obvious” leaders. Expand your horizons and also search for leaders among the quieter (and sometimes wiser) members. This will be “a win” for the person (more recognition and inclusion) and for the group (benefiting from diverse ideas, having a broader leadership base, and being better positioned for succession). Remember: “One of the leader’s most important roles is that of … building more leaders.”

The second lesson is this: If someone hesitates to take on a leadership role, don’t give up too easily. Show confidence in the individual’s ability, and give him or her the “gentle nudge” he or she needs to handle a new and somewhat frightening task. Individuals need this support to build confidence and new skills, and will ultimately be grateful for it.