Call It Out at Work

You try to keep the peace at work and stay productive. But when there’s a mistake, are you more prone to talk about it or ignore it?

A recent study found that only 51 percent of employees in a Fortune 100 multinational company said they felt safe speaking up most of the time.

“The key is to create a psychologically safe environment where everyone feels comfortable asking for help, admitting errors and getting feedback,” Amy Edmonson, Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at Harvard Business School has said. “Too often, employees don’t say anything because they don’t want to put themselves at risk by appearing incompetent or hurt their image.”

Edmonson suggests creating a sense of confidence so employees won’t be embarrassed to speak up.

Before communicating, consider your own feelings and check others’ statements twice to get a truer response, says Self Growth.com.

To create an open working environment, BusinessKnowHow.com recommends showing that you value honest mistakes and provide safety nets for employees who do speak up.

Try holding meetings where everyone is invited to talk openly, suggests Entrepreneur.com.

Bonus PINK Link: Now that you have the confidence to express yourself, make sure your manners are in check.

By Muriel Vega

“Courage isn’t the absence of fear, but an ability to carry on in its presence.” Unknown