Memorandum
TO: Prof. Howard Weiner
FROM: Li Sun, BUAC 784 (501) student
DATE: September 7, 2017
SUBJECT: Building a candid environment for team members to speak up
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My manager used to tell me: “The biggest problem in a team is silence.” I believe that it is crucial to build a trustworthy, candid team environment for people to express their opinions.
Avoiding conflict leads to unproductivity, poor performance, and low morale. Recent research on the six top banks found that during the recent global economic crisis, the banks with the lowest candor score saw the poorest financial returns. On the contrary, banks that communicated candidly were more capable of withstanding risks.
I once spent four hours in a meeting listening to my manager berating the office for turning in unsatisfactory results. No one spoke up because our manager tended to react hostilely to honest feedback, no matter how well-intentioned the feedback was. Upon completion of the project, two of my colleagues left the firm.
It can be challenging for colleagues to express themselves candidly. Therefore, we need to build a supportive, encouraging culture so that team members are comfortable contributing suggestions. To encourage such a culture, we can have smaller group meetings and designate an official advocate for candid feedback. Only by creating a candid environment can we promote true collaboration and solve problems more efficiently.