Driving Fear Out of the Workplace

"By examining what people are reluctant to speak up about and why, we have an opportunity to see how fear prevents them from doing their best at work. "

"A vision of trust can help people see the alternatives."

"Patterns of entrenched negative assumptions about people maintain a cycle of mistrust."

"They speak in terms of "we" rather than creating "us-and-them" distinctions."

"Individuals can challenge the negative assumptions about employees and managers they may have inherited from a culture of hierarchy."

"Next to abrasive behaviors, ambiguous behaviors appear to cause the most tension for employees."

"People rarely said that they were unable to speak up about necessary improvements or innovations."

"Fears of indirect and direct repercussions can combine and play off one another in an extremely volatile way."

"Fear's cost largely comes down to figuring the influence of negative emotions on people's work."

"Help supervisors, managers, and executives avoid abrasive or abusive conduct."

"Phrases such as "shoot the messenger" perpetuate the difficulty experienced by those who have something to say and those who are listening."

"Do not put people into double binds."

"Discussing the undiscussables is not a one-time event."

"Many managers' good intentions about effective decision making go unfulfilled."

"Worst-case thinking is a nasty mind trap that darkens people's attitudes and buries their ability to solve problems."

"If you want to help those who report to you overcome their fears of and resistance to change, facilitate meaningful discussions about their worries and fears."

"The smart thing merges with the right thing."