In order for a business to effectively implement high level strategies, it helps to have first laid the necessary groundwork. Employees need to know that they have the support of managers and team members at all times and that their honesty regarding current issues will not be held against them at any time in the future. If someone is made fun of because of an idea, it can have a damaging effect on the person as well as the company. If an employee has experienced an issue for an extended period of time, and after repeated attempts to fix the problem, nothing has happened, this can cause the employee to lose trust in management. Employees need to have trust with management at all levels, not just immediate supervisors. This approach enables employees to feel open to discuss what is going on within the organization.
Many times, it is the thought process that entails lack of trust in management that causes strategies to stay on the drawing board rather than being implemented. Managers have a hard time convincing key employees that they want the absolute truth and that they are ready to make changes based on such knowledge.
The solution to these issues is not as easy as it may sound, but there is hope. Proper management needs to be promoted and put into place. This starts from the top. Without the support of those above you, it is next to impossible to develop a culture that embraces open communication and helps others to implement their ideas. While many managers like to say that they have an open door policy, it goes beyond having an “open door”. This type of policy will do nothing if the manger has a “closed door” attitude towards employees. Leadership needs to be extended into other areas of the workplace.
Once the culture is ready to develop change, discussions should be out in the open. This can be difficult because many change agents feel it is easier to talk behind closed doors with like-minded people. The discussions need to be collective, and employees need to be assured that their feedback will not result in losing their job. The right questions need to be asked as well. While this may seem obvious, some people may interpret questions differently, resulting in incorrect feedback. If a manager is blocking effectiveness and performance, the employee who is bringing the situation to light needs to be protected and assured that the interview is confidential. It may also be a good idea to give employees the option to offer information anonymously in the instance that a manager with whom they are having a problem is the one conducting the interview.
As employees rally behind one another, it is important to take situations one step at a time. Start from the top down, ensuring that senior level employees are on the same page. This will trickle down to the middle and lower level managers, and eventually to the rest of the employees within the organization.
It is most effective to have a team of the best managers collecting the data to be used, ensuring that valid information is being collected and that the truth is set forth.
Remember, in the end, accountability leads to better performance. Brutal honesty can be a tough pill to swallow, but it may be just the thing to cure whatever ails a business.
