Permission to Speak Freely (WT535)
Blog
This week Ross and I hired a room at the local library to create some training videos for a 9 Day Business Freedom Challenge I’m about to launch (for just $9 if you’re interested).
Following my Blueprint for Business Freedom, the very first step is to Know Yourself.
As part of the challenge, participants are encouraged to raise their self awareness by asking team members and family and friends to give them some feedback about how they show up in the world.
I referenced the military term “Permission to Speak Freely”.
All too often I find that people at work will not speak freely. This distresses me because I have the belief that there isn’t anything that can’t be cleared up in conversation. (Yes you can reword that to be in the positive, however I like it expressed that way.)
Time after time I attend meetings for clients and team members speak freely to me and yet when they have the opportunity to address their colleagues or managers, they fall silent.
As leaders it is our responsibility to create a safe space.
If we don’t encourage our people to speak up, we lose the opportunity to understand what’s really going on and to be able to resolve any issues.
It’s too late after people have left. I remember when Ross resigned from one of his positions, his immediate supervisor actively avoided conducting an exit interview, even though Ross requested one. The supervisor was not open to hearing the feedback. Of course Ross has completed our Leading Yourself and Leading Others Experience so he was able to assert himself without being inflammatory, however he wasn’t afforded the opportunity.
What’s happening in your organisation?
Are you actively encouraging people to speak freely or are you unconsciously telling them that you don’t want to hear the feedback.
My best clients are those who are open to the feedback. They don’t always like it however they listen and then take action. I’m the same. I don’t necessarily enjoy receiving negative feedback, however I do appreciate it because it gives me the opportunity to improve and to fix things.
So you have permission to speak freely to me.
Are you up for the challenge? Will you give your team the same permission?
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