How to Build a Fearless Culture

Innovation requires participation, not silence

Innovation requires participation, not silence.

Photo by Katya Austin on Unsplash

Innovation is no longer optional. Organizations must continually experiment with new ways of working. But having the right talent is not enough if people don’t share their ideas. Only three in 10 employees strongly agree that their opinions count at work, a 2017 Gallup survey found. The lack of a psychologically safe space prevents people from speaking up.

Fear doesn’t promote innovation but silence.

We Have a Silence Problem

Change can (and must) happen from anywhere and everywhere in the organization. Listening to your team voices goes well beyond inclusion or respect. People are sensors — they see issues and opportunities that ‘management is missing.’

Instead of sharing ideas, people keep secrets. It’s a common thread in many organizations— everyone knows what’s broken, but expect someone else to fix things.

The ‘bystander effect’ occurs when the presence of others discourages an individual from intervening …