Creating Safe Spaces - Accelerating Change by Unlocking the Full Potential of Employees

Abstract

Have you ever been in a meeting or a conversation at work and didn’t speak up about something you disagreed with or knew was wrong? Do you have people in your group that don’t voice their opinions? Have you used the phrase “silence is acceptance”? These are the questions I explore in this article and what the impact of these types of behavior are on individuals and the organizations where they work. Organizations need people to contribute to the activities of the business fully, and remaining silent is potentially withholding valuable information. If you have done this, how did you feel afterward? Did you feel good about it, or did you worry that something might go wrong, and you could have prevented it? Organizational change is uncomfortable for many people, but if we all contribute, regardless of if we agree or not, the best possible changes may occur. Disagreeing with a proposed change is not always a bad thing; some changes shouldn’t happen. If you have done any of these things, or are guilty of creating an environment where these types of behavior occur, then you need to understand the importance of safe spaces in organizations, and ending the silence of employees.