Establishing a Culture of Open-Mindedness

The best leaders don't have all the answers. They ask the most questions. Asking questions is seen as a sign of weakness. Let's change that. When you make your team feel safe to be vulnerable, ask "silly" questions, and not know something… That’s when growth happens. Here’s how I build psychological safety in my teams: 1. Establish a no-blame culture 2. Reward growth over perfection 3. Create mentorship opportunities 4. Celebrate learning from mistakes 5. Provide anonymous feedback channels 6. Share my own missteps openly 7. Recognise calculated risk-taking 8. Encourage constant dialogue 9. Give regular, constructive feedback As leaders, we must create environments where questions are celebrated, not criticised. It isn’t stupid to ask for help. It’s smart. When I see someone asking questions, I don't see ignorance. I see: ✅ Curiosity ✅ Growth mindset ✅ Desire to learn ✅ Intelligence The next time someone on your team asks a question, celebrate it. They're not showing weakness - they're showing ambition. How do you handle questions in your workplace?

Ever been on a team that's too quiet? Not focused-quiet. But hesistant-to-speak-up quiet. I once worked with a leader whose motto was: "Silence is 100% agreement." We would chuckle politely. Our silence wasn't agreement. It was fear. Here's what I've learned after nearly two decades coaching people leaders. People don't need to find their voice. They need to feel safe using it. Here are 6 ways to create that safety, without forcing anyone to speak before they're ready: 1. Listen to learn ↳ Pause before responding: "Help me understand your thinking on…" ↳ Reflect back: "Here's what I heard, did I get that right?" ↳ Let people know when their input reshapes your thinking 2. Build confidence before the spotlight ↳ Pair teammates as "thinking partners" to test ideas before meetings ↳ Use 1:1s to help less vocal members frame input as exploratory questions ↳ Normalize iterations. "What if we considered…" often sparks breakthroughs. 3. Model transparent communication ↳ Share your thinking: "Here's my view and why I see it this way…" ↳ Be open about uncertainty. It gives others permission to speak ↳ It's okay to change your mind in public when presented with strong alternatives 4. Facilitate solution-building sessions ↳ Ask: "What would success look like for everyone involved?" ↳ Use "Yes, and…" to build momentum, not shut it down ↳ Try brainstorm rules: build on others' ideas before introducing new ones 5. Disagree without making it personal ↳ Start with: "We're debating the approach, not anyone's expertise" ↳ Use neutral framing: "There are different perspectives here" ↳ Keep feedback focused on outcomes and impact, not personality 6. Make space for the quiet thinkers ↳ End with: "Let's reflect for 24 hours before deciding" ↳ Send pre-reads with clear reflection prompts ↳ Start key conversations with a few minutes of silent thinking When you shift from demanding participation to designing for it, you're not just changing meetings. You're redefining how power flows through your organization. How do you create space for insight that isn't loud? ♻️ Feel free to share if you're working toward conversations where every voice has room. ➕ If you lead people, this space is for you. Follow me, Michelle Awuku-Tatum for insights on: ↳ Human-centered leadership, resilient teams, and intentional culture.

You can’t speak a speak-up culture into existence. Why? Because speaking up is a highly vulnerable activity. When an organization says it wants to establish a speak-up culture, it’s implicitly asking employees to engage in these six most vulnerable behaviors: ➡ Giving an incorrect answer ➡ Making a mistake ➡ Expressing your emotions ➡ Expressing disagreement ➡ Pointing out a mistake ➡ Challenging the way things are done Not surprisingly, if the required psychological safety doesn’t exist, few employees will accept the invitation because the organization is asking them to respond irrationally to their own risk/reward calculation. Here are four steps leaders can take to create conditions that give all employees a voice — and motivate them to use it: 1. Separate worth from worthiness. Speaking up is nothing less than an expression of one’s authentic self. People will retreat from the opportunity to be their authentic selves if doing so is expensive. But if their worth is separate and distinct from the worthiness of their input, opinions, and views, they’ll be more willing to use their voice. 2. Separate loyalty from agreement. When loyalty becomes contingent on agreement, it produces manipulated conformity, which isn’t loyalty at all. True loyalty, which refers to genuine concern for and dedication to the best interests of an institution and its people, must not only allow, but encourage, independent thought. Unless the organization divorces loyalty from agreement, the pressure to conform can produce dangerous groupthink. 3. Separate status from opinion. Many organizations stigmatize and punish contrary opinion, motivating each person to become their own gated community. As long as that norm is in place, fear exacts a tax on open dialogue. Smart people don’t make a smart team unless they can harness their collective intelligence by networking their minds and engaging in multidisciplinary learning. This depends on their ability to invite and process dissent. 4. Separate permission from adoption. Most employees understand that a speak-up culture means they have permission to speak their minds and weigh in with suggestions, opinions, and concerns. Some employees mistakenly believe that to be heard is to be heeded. We all need the reassurance that when the answer is no, the very act of speaking up is appreciated and encouraged. I'm curious, what do you think is the biggest limiting factor that organizations face when creating a speak-up culture? Is it one of these four? Or something else entirely? Let me know in the comments. #speakup #culture #psychologicalsafety

Peeling Back the Layers: How Transparent Leadership Can Address the Full Spectrum of Organizational Challenges In the vivid illustration of an onion, we see a stark representation of problem awareness in companies: Executives see just 4% of the problems, team managers see 9%, team leaders see 74%, and staff sees 100%. This metaphor sheds light on the disconnect that can occur within the hierarchy of an organization. To bridge this gap, leaders must adopt strategies that foster open communication and active engagement at every level. Here's how: Flatten the Hierarchy: Encourage a culture where feedback flows freely up and down the organizational layers. This means creating more opportunities for staff to directly communicate their challenges to top management. Reduce Administrative Burdens: As leaders climb the corporate ladder, administrative tasks often consume their time. Streamlining these processes with technology or delegating effectively can open up more opportunities for leaders to engage with front-line challenges. Implement Regular Check-Ins: Team managers and leaders should schedule regular, informal check-ins with staff to understand the day-to-day issues that may not surface in formal meetings or reports. Lead by Walking Around: Executives should spend time on the ground, engaging with teams and individuals to observe the challenges firsthand. Foster a Safe Space for Reporting Issues: Ensure that there are no negative repercussions for staff who highlight problems. This will encourage a more transparent and problem-solving oriented culture. By peeling back the layers of hierarchy and encouraging a culture of openness, leaders can see beyond the 4% of problems visible from the executive suite, becoming more effective and responsive to the needs of their organization.

We’ve all experienced those team meetings that don’t go as planned.  But what if I told you there’s a powerful way to turn things around? That power is respect. I once had a team divided over a project’s direction. Instead of choosing sides, I decided to listen. 𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 listen. I gave everyone my full attention and showed them that their opinions mattered. What happened next was incredible. The anger melted away. People started building on each other's ideas instead of tearing them down. We found common ground and suddenly, we weren't enemies. We were problem-solvers working towards the same goal. Respect isn’t just about being polite. It’s about truly valuing each other’s viewpoints, even when you disagree. It connects different perspectives and turns conflicts into opportunities for growth. So, the next time tensions rise, try this: 1. Create a safe space for open discussion. 2. Listen without interrupting. 3. Validate feelings, even if you disagree. 4. Look for shared goals. 5. Build on ideas instead of shooting them down. Lead with respect, and watch how it transforms your team. It’s not just about resolving one conflict. It’s about creating a culture where creativity and collaboration thrive.

Many organizations don’t create a space where we can talk openly and candidly when we feel unfulfilled or demotivated in our work.⁣ ⁣ It’s bad for the person—who now has to keep that feeling inside, who continues to feel disengaged, and who might even interview for other positions without being upfront about that. And it’s bad for the organization—who now isn’t tapping into this person’s true motivation and getting their best work, and who might also lose a valuable member of the team as a result.⁣ ⁣ In my company, we decided to do the opposite. We talk about growth openly. ⁣ ⁣ In this speech, I share the example of Rachel, who has been working with me for nearly 13 years. In 13 years, Rachel and I have had several tough and beautiful conversations about her role. Rachel has had the courage to be honest with me when her spark is dimming, and I have come in with the mindset that we can evolve her role and figure it out together. None of it happened overnight, but after evolving her role several times, Rachel would tell you that today she’s in her sweet spot and has never been happier. ⁣ ⁣ But none of that would have happened if we didn’t talk about it. ⁣ ⁣ Today, we have growth check-ins. At least once a year, I ask each person on my team what needs to stay the same and what needs to change in order for them to be happy and fulfilled. And outside of that, we commit to courageous communication. When someone isn’t fulfilled, we talk about it. Can we evolve the role? Or maybe it’s time for this person to move on? Either way, it’s success, and we can support one another throughout the process. I once got a 365 day resignation because of our culture of transparency. A whole year to prep—what a gift for both. ⁣ ⁣ The more safety we create in our organizations for people to be human, the more we take care of our people and the more they will take care of our organizations. ⁣ ⁣ I really do think it’s that simple 🧡