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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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You may think this company is nuts! They have people who make it work but they aren't employees and they don't make salaries. They have presence in five cities but they don't have a single office.
Story by Matt Shlosberg on July 29, 2010
As a front line supervisor, I have reconciled myself to this greatest of issues with employees; you are not treating me/us fairly. The company is not treating me/us fairly.
Story by Jim McGriff, Jr. on March 14, 2016
This hack was written as one of the requirements to obtain the Innovation Mentor Certification at CIMp.
Story by Dennis Agnew on September 19, 2016
A story of how one brave company blended work and play and achieved an unmatched level of performance.
Story by Matt Shlosberg on June 7, 2010
Feeling recognized feels amazing. At work we started a recognition revolution with StarmeUp!
Story by Laura Alfonsin on August 17, 2017
The Vice President of the division told me a decision was made that I was not going any higher in the management of our company.
Story by Jim McGriff, Jr. on December 14, 2016
A supervisor in a central dispatch center is a different kind of first line management.I was given the Dispatch Supervisor job when our control center opened for our division.
Story by Jim McGriff, Jr. on March 13, 2017
“Channel Us” is sharing of a success story of culture building for creating higher value and fuel optimism for employee engagement.If we accept that the leader’s job, at its core, is to insp
Story by Ramesh Dasary on December 3, 2011
Dear All,Educational schools have prize distribution, which include trophies.Year on Year, many schools quarter on quarter.The feeling, experience of  getting trophy in presence of parents,teache
Story by H S ANAND on February 8, 2015

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