I don't have a problem with silence. Despite what some people think about me, I don't have to fill it. But I never realized until recently that silence can be hostile. I have experienced companionable silence. It happens in my house most days, and used to happen in my office all the time. Broken by a comment, or a joke, or a piece of shared information, the silence served to encourage everyone to get work accomplished in a collegial environment.
These days, silence in my office is hostile. It is rigidly maintained and enforced. It discourages cooperation and collaboration, it precludes knowledge sharing and growth, it is driving away team members, and strengthening the divides, rather than bridging them.
Silence filled with music is still silence. But the need to bridge the silence is becoming acute, and it takes more than one person to accomplish the task. In this case it takes two; one to say "Good morning," the other to respond.
Can we please start to bridge the gap? For everyone's sake?
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