In every group, somebody hasn’t said a word. Leaders notice. Then they ask.

Silence in a group usually means something other than having nothing to say. It can be that two people are louder, or that the quiet one is newer, or that their idea is half-formed and they are waiting for a gap that never comes. Most rooms just proceed without them. The cost is invisible, because you never hear what you did not get.

Next time you are in a group, find the person who has not spoken and ask them directly. Use their name and a real question rather than a general invitation. Then leave the pause long enough for them to take it.