Friday, August 28, 2009

10 Ways to Signal "We Don't Want to Hear"

10 ways that managers and organizations discourage open communication:
  1. Inviting only a predictable set of people to meetings.
  2. Avoiding management by wandering around (MBWA).
  3. Using MBWA to put people on the spot or to ask superficial questions.
  4. Openly exiling dissenters.
  5. Asking for input and then not listening.
  6. Listening only to what is said and ignoring what is not said.
  7. Turning staff meetings into pep rallies.
  8. Never admitting mistakes.
  9. Attributing continuing problems to predecessors.
  10. Disparaging those who speak up.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good ones! Add this too: Asking subordinates for feedback but providing the right answers ahead of time: "I want to know what you think because here's what I think..."

Michael Wade said...

Great addition! I call that faux collegiality.