FEATURE
Encouraging employee voice centers on creating an environment of psychological safety – i.e., the perceived consequences of taking interpersonal risks in the work- place. Fortunately, leadership has a direct influence in the creation of that SAFE environment. Rakshitha Ravishankar, Associate Editor of the Harvard Business Review has some thoughts. 1. Avoid perfection. Avoid perfection. High standards are good, but impossibly high standards can have a negative impact. Perfectionist leaders tend to over-react to mistakes, distrust less-than-perfect employees, and engage in micromanagement. Nobody likes that. Instead, create an environment that encourage autonomy and tolerates failure. This environment fosters creativity and promotes responsibility and engagement. 2. Don’t play the blame game . Resist the temptation to blame individuals for an unsuccessful idea or an experiment that falls short. Nobody wants to fail. When people feel like they might suffer blame, they are less likely to volunteer an opinion or take a risk. The tendency to place blame is natural, but not helpful. Rather, encourage teamwork and focus on fixing the problem or creating a new solution. Above all, recognize what may be your own responsibility if something doesn’t turn out as you’ve planned. That vulnerability reinforces trust. 3. Give credit where credit is due. We all have a tendency to attribute success to our own efforts and failure to others or factors beyond our control. This behavior discourages employees from offering their perspectives and participating in change initiatives. Acknowledge the contributions of others. Giving credit demonstrates respect and encourages the participation necessary for effective change.
4. Inventory your biases. Education and experience condition how we think. Consider how your beliefs, assumptions and values affect your leadership style, how you engage with employees, and how your communications reflect your perceived intentions. An honest assessment can help you better relate to both those who share your values and those who may not. That communication promotes a collective mindset. 5. Communicate empathetically. Employees are more likely to be open and honest if you are. Communicate using empathetic and inclusive language. Offer support as needed to reflect a genuine desire to help your employees be successful. Genuine is key. The benefits of empathetic communication only manifest if people believe them to be authentic. Otherwise, it seems more like pity or worse, false sympathy. A supportive workplace culture with trust and openness are vital to successful strategic change. Two statements about strategic change are axiomatic: (1) strategic change is important and (2) a healthy organizational culture is necessary to strategic change. As the father of evolutionary biology Charles Darwin discovered, adaptation to a changing environment is important to survival and growth. This is certainly true for companies in the 21st century. And the executives able to develop a company culture that continuously facilitates constructive behaviors will greet change, and implement the strategies necessary for success. HM
36 Harbert Magazine, Spring 2025
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