Are your employees empowered to speak up and challenge the status quo, or do they keep it safe?
By Janine Popick (Founder & CEO, VerticalResponse)
This story first appeared on Inc.com
Every business has many types of employees. I’ve written about a variety of them in the past, from rock stars to bullies to butt kissers.
There are the ones who clip their toenails at their desk. Every company has a blend of the good and bad. But there’s one type of employee that I want to single out: the brave one.
If your business does not have brave employees, you could be missing out big time when it comes to truly having top talent. What exactly do I mean? Let me tell you…
Being Safe Gets You Nowhere
At too many companies, employees are afraid to rock the boat. Fear paralyzes them. Fear shuts them down and shuts them up. And that, my friends, can prevent your business from going where it needs to go. What you need are some fearless, brave souls who are not afraid to push back when necessary. They are not afraid to challenge things and speak up for what your customers and business need and want. These folks will bubble up issues, not bury them in an attempt to be safe. Safe won’t get you growth or momentum. Safe will get you status quo.
You Need to Be Brave, Too
So, how do you ensure your employees feel safe enough to be brave? As the leader of your company, you’ve got to lead by example. If your employees see that you and your leadership team question the status quo and seek out honesty, they may feel more empowered to follow suit and speak their minds.
But here is what’s really important: When they do speak up, it’s all about how you or their managers react. Do you fire-hose them? Or do you truly listen, take them seriously, and empower them to be heard?
It takes a brave leader to have a brave team. So, I ask you, are you feeling brave?
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