Your Employees Are Withholding Valuable Information – And You Could Be the Reason Why

Your Employees Are WithholdingValuable Information

And You Could Be the Reason Why

What do General Motors, the U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs &

the Titanic have in common?

All have beendeeply impactedby a culture ofsilence, resultingin a substantialloss ofproductivity,revenue, trustand human lives.

What causes employee

SILENCE?

LEADERS' UNDERLYING BELIEFS ABOUT THEIR ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.

THE VALUES THAT THOSE BELIEFS COMPEL (INTEGRITY, TIMELINESS, TRANSPARENCY).

THE BEHAVIORS THAT MANIFEST THEMSELVES IN A MANAGER’S STYLE, STEMMING LARGELY FROM HIS OR

HER BELIEFS AND VALUES.

Aggressive and autocratic leadership behaviors, the common cause of silence cultures, affect employees' self-worth.

13.6% of U.S.employees areaffected by aggressiveleadership.

Aggressive leadership annually costs U.S. companies ....

medical expenses

$44 billion

$50 billion

lost productivity

absenteeism, turnover andlower effectiveness

$23.8 billion

Constantly learns

and involves

followers in the quest

for competitive

superiority

Believes that followers

have lots to contribute

Encourages followers

to learn and grow in

their current roles

Creates a level

playing field for

innovation and

decision-making

Self-reflects and gains

insights into his or her

influence and impact

Asks and listens

more than he or she

talks and tells

Believes feedback is a

gift rather than a threat

Are You a High-Influence Leader,

Creating a Cultureof Voice?

OR ARE YOU CREATING A

CULTURE OFSILENCE?

It’s time to ask yourself some key questions ...

In how many staff meetings,within the last six months,did you get the “bovinestare” – a blank look – fromthe group when you askedfor input?

W i t h i n t h e l a s t

w e e k , w h o w e r e t h e

e m p l o y e e s t h a t

o p e n l y

disagreedw i t h y o u ?

How many half-bakedideas have you receivedfrom employees in thelast two weeks that youhoped would die on thevine?

How many times in the last month have you respondedto an employee's idea with the phrase

"LET ME PLAY DEVIL'S ADVOCATE"

or something equivalent?

Your answersmay indicateyour role increating a

CULTURE OFSILENCE.

Creating aCULTURE OF VOICERequires Six Leadership Practices of

HIGH-INFLUENCE LEADERSHIPthat result in open communication,knowledge transfer, teamwork andcooperation.

For more answers, diagnostic tools and resources to help you create a

CULTURE OF VOICE visit:www.breakingcorporatesilence.com

Sources Tepper, B. J. & Henle, C. A. (2006). Procedural injustice, victim precipitation, andabusive supervision. Personnel Psychology, 59, 101-123. Stewart, W. F. et al. (2003) Cost of lost productive work time among U.S. workers anddepression. Journal of the American Medical Association, 289, 3135-3145.Crocker & Major (1989).Twentieth Century Fox Film CorporationParamount Pictures