Uncross Your Arms In The Boardroom

By Tyler Head

The “ask your people for feedback” model is not actually dead. It’s how you have gone about it, partnered with a lack of follow-through. In other words, it’s not the actual premise of asking and listening; it’s in the way that their opinions/feedback have or have not been addressed. This has deepened the gap of distrust between your people and you—the Us vs. Them mentality that no one wants to call out, but everyone secretly tiptoes around.

Do not hear that it is “All Your Fault.” We at DRYVE know that it takes two to tango in all relationships, especially in a business. Nevertheless, you are the one with the ability to address, mend and hopefully fix this issue the most expediently.

Hear us out.

Your people love being invited into that space—the space where you actively listen to them. But it doesn’t stop there. Practice exploring implications, asking how, where, and why they think that problem exists, where else they see the effects of this issue and how they believe it can be solved. The odds are that the employee who brought that issue forward, with the help of their direct teammates and superiors, can tackle that problem. If not, you are now aware of an issue that profoundly affects the efficiency and effectiveness of your people’s everyday life in the workplace.

It honestly may sound trivial or even a little slow on the forefront. But we have seen first-hand that when it comes to creating momentum around the cultural shift, it starts slow, begins from within, and picks up speed the more your people lean in, weigh in, and buy in. This positive momentum comes from a developed level of trust in leadership through your invitation and attention to what they bring to the table.

So go ahead, give it a whirl—invite your people in, listen intently to their concern, properly tend to what you hear, and uncross your arms in the boardroom.

You, your people, and the organization will be much better because of it.

And if all this sounds insane but enticing nonetheless. Let us help you. We enjoy connecting people—through shared purpose; we help organizations like yours slow down to speed up.

Let’s get a strategy session on the calendar and go from there! Click here to schedule your session.

You’re not alone. Hear about other success stories here.