Photo by Mapbox, Unsplash.

A while ago, I was in a team meeting where a few people kept talking constantly, interrupting each other, and throwing out idea after idea. At first, I thought this meant they were being active and engaged. But the more I observed, the more I felt something was off. The meeting was full of noise, yet the discussion seemed to lose direction, and thegroup’ss energy was being drained. That’ss when a big question came to my mind: What does being truly active in a group actually mean? Is this real participation or just busy work?

To find the answer, I decided to talk to someone with more experience: our HR manager. I set up a meeting and shared what had happened during the session. I asked, “What does being active in a team really mean? When someone talks a lot, does it count as participation or not?

The answer was eye-opening. Actual group activity means listening deeply and understanding the team’s needs before speaking. It means adding value to the discussion, not just talking to be seen. And sometimes it means staying quiet at the right moment to give others a chance to be heard.

Since that day, before I speak in a meeting, I ask myself: Does this contribution help the team move forward, or does it just add noise?

The result is clear. Effective participation is often quieter but much more impactful. This experience taught me that being an active team member is a skill that can be learned and practiced.