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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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Implement a “transparent” corporate e-mail system, with anyone within the organization able to search the content of any published e-mail.
Hack by Gary Hamel on April 6, 2011
Who wants to join me in a cup of C.O.F.F.E.E.
Hack by Robert Paris on October 13, 2011
42projects is an initiative across several teams at Microsoft to innovate in the way we manage by focusing on building trust, using games to increase productivity, and encouraging grassroots innovatio
Story by Ross Smith on April 11, 2010
“Leadership days”? These would involve rearranging the organisation for a day so that managers can relinquish control to an employee one level down in the hierarchical structure.
Hack by Keshal Sookha on October 18, 2011
How many innovations died within big corporations, whose managers failed to spot a breakthrough idea in unchartered seas of innovation portals and CTOs’ e-mail boxes?
Hack by LBS team 12 on January 9, 2011
We need to reduce the amount of rules used in the world of management in order to promote people's judgment and practical wisdom.
Hack by Elad Sherf on May 27, 2010
While the trend with most companies today is to block employee use of social network sites like Facebook and Twitter, Edmunds.com, Inc.
Story by Katti Fields on July 15, 2011
Leaders who have an understanding of neuroscience basics have a tool much like a navigational compass to guide their teams and individuals through common change related obstacles.  Neuros
Hack by Earl Miller on October 23, 2017
While keen tone skills offer more opportunities to collaborate -  as we draw from people's excellent ideas and insights in any discussion -  innovation loses when tone is lost.
Barrier by Ellen Weber on September 16, 2010

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