Page 14 - index

COURAGE IS WHAT IT TAKES TO

STAND UP AND SPEAK; COURACE IS

ALSO WHAT IT TAKES TO SIT DOWN

AND LISTEN. –WINSTON CHURCHILL

Many of us cling to the belief that unity, agreement, and identifying problems, raising issues, or admitting mistakes. He
consensus are signs of organizational health. But what if the calls this “Prozac leadership,” and argues that insisting on only
opposite were true? What if the expression of diferent points positive thinking contributes to silencing alternative perspectives
of view, critique, and dissenting opinions was actually a better and marginalizing dissenting voices.
indicator of organizational vitality? Heifetz and Laurie (2001) Our deeply cherished view that we advocate for participatory
contend that “real leaders ask hard questions and knock people management practices and empowered and engaged employees
out of their comfort zones.” Tis article sets out to challenge is challenged by Henry Mintzberg. He insists that little has
some cherished assumptions and stimulate refective and changed since 1916 when Henri Fayol suggested that the six
creative thinking about employee voice, silence, and dissent. In key tasks of management were to forecast, plan, organize,
an appreciative and inquiring spirit, I ofer some provocative command, coordinate, and control (Mintzberg, 2009). While
propositions, followed by suggestions that may help us re- acknowledging the necessity for management to seek stability
imagine our roles as leaders and managers, equipping us to build and order, Mintzberg suggests that most organizations over-
organizational cultures that encourage voice. emphasize the need for internal unity and harmony of ideas,
The sounds of silence and the undesirability of organizational conficts and tensions
in the organization. In doing so, he argues, we maintain and
Is it possible that as leaders we may unwittingly be squashing reward “bureaucratic conservatism” which may not serve us in
employee voice, contributing to cultures of silence, and missing times of change.
out on opportunities for innovation and growth? In her 2004
book, Bad Leadership, Barbara Kellerman suggests that good What are the consequences of not encouraging employee
leaders share power with others and surround themselves voice? If information is the linchpin of organizations, then the
with people who speak the truth. Yet the reality may be that consequences of not speaking up, or speaking out, could be
we fnd it difcult to hear alternative views, particularly when serious. Withholding information, pointing out the pitfalls of
they may make us feel embarrassed, vulnerable, or leave us a proposed course of action, or sharing information that is not
questioning our own competence (Milliken & Morrison, widely known or accepted could afect decisions that impact the
2003). Hidden behind a concern with saving face, Morrison & future success of the organization. Te Enron disaster and recent
Milliken (2000) suggest that those in leadership roles may hold fnancial meltdown illustrate more dramatic consequences of
implicit assumptions about feedback from subordinates; that it withholding information.
is perceived as less accurate, less legitimate, and threatening to Beyond the impact on decisions, encouraging or stifing
managerial power and credibility. employee voice has an impact on our relationships with others.
David Collinson (2012) contends an emphasis on excessive Ofering a diferencing or critical perspective is risky: dissent
positivity, agreement, and harmony discourages people from is ofen perceived as betrayal, with negative repercussions to

14 LEADERSHIP Vol. 20.3 Winter 2015

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