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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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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
As we push just about everything into the cloud, and advancements in technology shrink or eliminate traditional barriers for people to interact and exchange value, the "trustworthiness stool" presents
Hack by Aaron Anderson on August 17, 2012
Innovation is more than a singular event that happens and then <POOF!> the organization has magically transformed.
Hack by Brett Belock on July 19, 2017
How do you make a big company’s culture more innovative and entrepreneurial? Start with a corridor and work your way out.
Story by Christos Tsolkas on February 11, 2016
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
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
Embracing the principles of Autonomy & Trust and Openess & Transparency, this hack aims to establish the credibility and value of HR as a business partner by adapting the language and measurem
Hack by Harrison Withers on July 17, 2013
Ever get an innovation project rolling along well and then bump into a hidden corporate policy or procedure that stops the project dead in its tracks?
Hack by Mary Kuhr Anderson on August 14, 2017

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