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Morning friend! ☕️
Last week, Thandi stepped into the role.
Nothing blew up.
No awkward meetings.
No obvious resistance.
This week sits right after that.
The meetings run smoothly.
People nod.
Plans move forward.
It feels like things are settling.
Looks like you’re doing fine.
But soon, you realise you might be missing something.
Grab your coffee. ☕️
Let’s chat!
Episode 2. When the Room Goes Quiet
The first few weeks after stepping in always feel the same.
Deceptively calm.
The handovers are polite. The meetings are efficient. No one pushes back too hard. It feels like momentum. It feels like relief.
Especially if you've come from an environment where resistance was loud, messy, and political.
Politeness feels like progress. And it's easy to mistake that feeling for alignment.
Thandi's first few team meetings run smoothly. Too smoothly.
People nod.
They agree.
They take notes.
When she asks for questions, there's a pause.
Just long enough to feel like there might be one.
And then, nothing.
Someone glances down at their phone. A notebook closes softly at the end of the table. A voice offers, "Looks fine."
No objections. No counter-points. No friction.
Thandi fills the silence, thanks everyone, and moves the plan forward.
She leaves the room thinking she's done something right.
It's only later, replaying the meeting in her head, that the discomfort catches up with her.
No one asked a single question. Not one.
The plan wasn't simple. There were gaps. Things that needed challenge.
And yet... nothing.
That's when it hit her: They weren't trusting her. They were being polite.
They didn't push back because they don't trust her enough to care yet.
Or worse: They're waiting to see what happens when someone else does.
She wanted to be the kind of leader people felt safe disagreeing with.
Instead, she's become someone they're managing.
Not leading. Being managed.
Silence feels respectful when you first step in.
But in teams, silence is rarely neutral.
It usually means people are still deciding whether it's safe to speak. Or whether it's worth it. Trust doesn't show up as quiet agreement.
Trust shows up as people taking risks: Disagreement. Pushback. People willing to be slightly uncomfortable in front of you.
Without that, you're not leading yet.
You're being assessed.
The real question to ask yourself
Thandi left that meeting thinking: "How do I keep this energy?"
The question she should've asked:"What would it cost someone to disagree with me right now?"
Teams don't go quiet when they have nothing to say.
They go quiet when they're still deciding who you are.
Key takeaway
Silence isn’t the absence of problems.
It’s judgment on pause.
If no one is pushing back, you haven't earned their trust yet.
You've earned their compliance.
Until next week friend,
Vaugan ☕️
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White to play and force mate.
Solution here
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Thandi assumes things are fine.
No one raises any issues.
The meeting ends.
Soon after, a small deliverable slips.
Next week: When Silence Costs You
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This post contains parody and satirical references to well-known characters, shows, and cultural icons. It is created for educational and humorous commentary on management and leadership. ScaryManagement is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by any television networks, film studios, comic publishers, production companies, or performers referenced. All trademarks and copyrights remain the property of their respective owners. No infringement is intended. This use is intended as parody and commentary under fair use and related protections in the US, UK, EU, and South African law.