Your boss just announced a bold new initiative. But you and your colleagues who do the nitty-gritty work on the ground know that his plan is bound to crash. He says that his door is always open—and he may really mean it—but are you willing to deliver the bad news?
Our guest in this episode of is Harvard Business School Professor Mike Beer. His latest book—Fit to Compete—describes how in too many companies and organizations, people are afraid of speaking truth to power. And that disconnect between those who craft strategy and those who will actually implement it is a recipe for failure and distrust.
This can happen in companies both big and small, especially ones that have a top-down, hierarchical culture. But there is a solution. Mike describes a process for promoting honest conversations with everyone in your organization, so that problems are addressed and opportunities for innovation are recognized.
As you’ll hear, Mike Beer’s ideas complement Kim’s work in adaptive leadership. There’s a negotiation angle, as well.
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