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Increase trust, reduce fear

“The most critical challenge for any organization is to enlarge the circle of trust.”

Command-and-control systems reflect a deep mistrust of employees’ commitment and competence. They also tend to overemphasize sanctions as a way of forcing compliance. That’s why so many organizations are filled with anxious employees who are hesitant to take the initiative or trust their own judgment. Organizational adaptability, innovation, and employee engagement can only thrive in a high-trust, low-fear culture. In such an environment, information is widely shared, contentious opinions are freely expressed, and risk taking is encouraged. Fear paralyzes, mistrust demoralizes—they must be wrung out of our management systems.

124 Stories
236 Hacks
22 Barriers

Increase trust, reduce fear

“The most critical challenge for any organization is to enlarge the circle of trust.”

Command-and-control systems reflect a deep mistrust of employees’ commitment and competence. They also tend to overemphasize sanctions as a way of forcing compliance. That’s why so many organizations are filled with anxious employees who are hesitant to take the initiative or trust their own judgment. Organizational adaptability, innovation, and employee engagement can only thrive in a high-trust, low-fear culture. In such an environment, information is widely shared, contentious opinions are freely expressed, and risk taking is encouraged. Fear paralyzes, mistrust demoralizes—they must be wrung out of our management systems.

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This is Karen's story. In 2011 a colleague and I attended a presentation at a conference. The speaker had made a mistake but had not realized it.
Story by Peter Rennie on July 14, 2013
My first real job was as a carpenter helper with Goodwin and Murphy construction company on a bridge building job on interstate 65 just south of Verbena, Alabama.
Story by Jim McGriff, Jr. on April 14, 2015
Leading without "Title" empowers ordinary employees and lower-level specialists the opportunity to really contribute and build an organization.
Story by Francis Jeyaraj on April 15, 2013
A method of solving dilemmas and problems that involves communications and iteration to reach better solutions and commitment to those solutions.
Story by Brian Hurley on June 2, 2010
In our group tasks are chosen by our people.People are encouraged to volunteer to lead projects and others are encouraged to volunteer to join them and support them.The whole work is self-organized.Wh
Story by Edna Pasher on July 9, 2013
In Parts 1-3, I recounted the Pull Replenishment saga of how a small team started a bottom-up movement that generated millions of dollars in profit, improved shipping performance to the customer, and
Story by David Choe on June 17, 2011

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