In any business meeting, tucked among the active debaters are probably a few silent employees who watch the give-and-take like a tennis match. Some of their ideas are at least as good as the off-the-cuff suggestions being tossed around, but they are afraid to speak up. However, businesses looking for creativity need to take all suggestions, including those coming from the back of the crowd. Many businesses are incorporating ways to give a clear voice to those who have not spoken in the past, so that they might come up with something worthwhile.
See "The Workplace: How to listen to those who hesitate to speak up", Kelley Holland, International Herald Tribune, November 6, 2006