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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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A chance question during a seminar exposed a cultural norm at Menlo Innovations that confounds most corporate thinkers. Menlo has no hierarchy. They are a team in the truest sense of the word.
Story by Richard Sheridan on July 14, 2013
This is the age when Gen-Yers are coming into management and with their unique experience of a diversified society, social consciousness and healthy respect for others - the time to answer my question
Story by Venu Tiruneermalai on February 9, 2013
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
José may be a typical Latin name, but in this story of a Mexican doing business in Brazil is not a very common one. For one thing he chose to strive in an Emergent Economy.
Story by Volney Faustini on September 21, 2010
The internet has had a profound effect on many areas of commerce.One area the internet has not yet had a profound affect upon is how people are organized to perform work.We believe this is about to ch
Story by Jim McKeown on April 11, 2010
How to create a culture of trust within an organization
Story by Matt Shlosberg on May 1, 2010
A harmonious workplace is critical in today’s work place .A First Line Manager must be a keen observer of behavior in their department.
Story by Jim McGriff, Jr. on October 22, 2016
Despite a difficult business environment, the Nigeria home video makers creatively re-engineered how films are made, while remaining profitable.
Story by Tarry Asoka on May 17, 2010
I wrote this in 2015... but did not published.Government support: Who gets it? Why do they get it? What do they get? How do they get it?Who pays? Why do they pay? What do the pay? How do they pay?
Story by Jim McGriff, Jr. on October 19, 2015

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