Leave omerta to the Mafia, and replace toxic culture of silence with one of dialogue
Dysfunctional silence can be overcome if leaders become teachers and models of candour
Most people think they would speak up if something negative happened at work, but few do. Not speaking up has real costs. Luckily, cultures of silence can be changed — but only if leaders become teachers and models of candour. Here are four key tactics for transforming a culture of silence into a culture of dialogue. 1. Reverse your thinking. Most people decide whether or not to speak up by considering the risks of doing so. Those who are best at having crucial conversations don’t think first about the risks of speaking up. They think first about the risks of not speaking up. This simple reversal of risk assessment makes them far more likely to speak up. 2. Change your emotions. The reason these conversations can go poorly is because you are irritated, angry or disgusted. Your counterparts react to these emotions they sense more than the words you speak. So, before opening your mouth, open your mind. Try to see others as reasonable, rational and decent human beings — a practice that...
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