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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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Hack by Simon Gosney on July 17, 2013
The challenge is to combine technologies, platforms and ways of learning that explicitly tackle those enemies of adaptability and support each of the design principles of a truly adaptable organisatio
Hack by Julie Steel on July 17, 2013
Non-compliance can be viewed as a ‘problem’ resulting in solutions which are hoping to resolve that ‘problem’.
Hack by Heidi De Wolf on July 17, 2013
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
(this hack is available as a Powerpoint - see materials)In the last 40 years complexity thinking and sociology have given us new ways to understand uncertainty and the relationship between sc
Hack by Douglas Board on July 17, 2013
Our Hack was inspired by Coens & Jenkin’s book “Abolishing Performance Appraisals.”  There are several other academic books and papers, blog postings, and even hacks that recommend doing away
Hack by Andy Lippok on July 16, 2013
Who are the people with the “least formal authority” in your organization? Your interns!
In today’s organizations there is not only a gap in leadership but a seemingly high level of denial.
Hack by Marla Hetzel on July 14, 2013

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