Speak up, and you will lead.
In a fascinating study, researchers looked at (1) how often someone spoke up during a small group business simulation and (2) whom the group nominated as their leader at the end.
What makes it so fascinating? The study found a correlation of 0.67 between how much someone spoke and whether that person was nominated as the group's leader. A phenomenon dubbed by researchers as the "Babble hypothesis".
This finding puts psychological safety at the heart of leadership development. Because if you don't feel safe to speak up, then it is doubtful that the group will perceive you as an emergent leader.
Contributing with questions and ideas might not only benefit the group, but it could also benefit your career as a leader.
Source: MacLaren, N. G., Yammarino, F. J., Dionne, S. D., Sayama, H., Mumford, M. D., Connelly, S., ... & Ruark, G. A. (2020). Testing the babble hypothesis: Speaking time predicts leader emergence in small groups. The Leadership Quarterly, 31(5), 101409.