It’s hard to collaborate successfully when people don’t feel enough safety
and mutual commitment to speak with candor. Innovation derives from the courage
to see things differently, and risk seeing them incorrectly. And risk management
– a company’s ability to cut off problems before they metastasize into disaster
– relies almost completely on candor: whistle-blowers coming forward; employees
challenging managers; and small teams reporting honestly about problems to much
larger groups.
Here are the methods we use to instill teams with the mutual trust and commitment that promotes a culture of candor.
Here are the methods we use to instill teams with the mutual trust and commitment that promotes a culture of candor.
Rule 1. Institutionalize candor.
Make it a clear rule that the team agrees up front, and the team leader confirms, that everyone is free to "take a risk" by saying what they're thinking.
Rule 2. Consider alternatives.
Don't limit the range of solutions in order to keep discussion focused; simply re-emphasize the question if discussion spirals off topic.
Rule 3. Create smaller groups.
Social norms that promote constructive participation and risk-taking tend to erode in large groups.
Rule 4. Gather info one-on-one.
Conducting information-gathering interviews, or even incorporating information gathered by a third party, may offer additional safety to promote candor.
Make it a clear rule that the team agrees up front, and the team leader confirms, that everyone is free to "take a risk" by saying what they're thinking.
Rule 2. Consider alternatives.
Don't limit the range of solutions in order to keep discussion focused; simply re-emphasize the question if discussion spirals off topic.
Rule 3. Create smaller groups.
Social norms that promote constructive participation and risk-taking tend to erode in large groups.
Rule 4. Gather info one-on-one.
Conducting information-gathering interviews, or even incorporating information gathered by a third party, may offer additional safety to promote candor.
Rule 5. Coach
behavior in the moment.
A number of best practices support in-the-moment coaching, such as agreeing as a group which behaviors detract from candid, constructive problem-solving, so that team members can politely but firmly call out uncaring or unconstructive feedback.
Rule 6. Exercise feedback hygiene.
The person who offers feedback is giving a generous gift but doesn’t have the right to control how it's used. Phrases like “I might suggest” or “Think about this” help make this point clear.
Rule 7. Coach the Candor.
We've developed a number of exercises to help a team practice candor, including real-time reviews given in a supportive spirit; facilitated gloves-off dialogues on business issues, which we call sparring; and finally, appointing “Yodas” who are tasked with calling out inappropriate behavior during meetings.
A number of best practices support in-the-moment coaching, such as agreeing as a group which behaviors detract from candid, constructive problem-solving, so that team members can politely but firmly call out uncaring or unconstructive feedback.
Rule 6. Exercise feedback hygiene.
The person who offers feedback is giving a generous gift but doesn’t have the right to control how it's used. Phrases like “I might suggest” or “Think about this” help make this point clear.
Rule 7. Coach the Candor.
We've developed a number of exercises to help a team practice candor, including real-time reviews given in a supportive spirit; facilitated gloves-off dialogues on business issues, which we call sparring; and finally, appointing “Yodas” who are tasked with calling out inappropriate behavior during meetings.
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