teamwork reflection

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Candor, Criticism, Teamwork by Keith Ferrazzi

For the exclusive use of L. Zhang, 2023.

This document is authorized for use only by Limeng Zhang in Strategic Management (MGMT 4890) taught by Kelly Ashihara, Dongguk University from Dec 2022 to Jun 2023.

W e’ve all been there: trapped in pointless meetings where par- ticipants are afraid to speak

honestly. We twiddle our thumbs through diplomatic PowerPoint presentations, wait- ing for the meeting to end so that the real conversations—which usually happen in private—can begin.

The desire to avoid conflict is under- standable, but it’s one of the most debili- tating factors in organizational life. Lack of candor contributes to longer cycle times, slow decision making, and un- necessarily iterative discussions. A too- polite veneer often signals an overly po- liticized workplace: Colleagues who are afraid to speak honestly to people’s faces do it behind their backs. This behavior exacts a price.

My team interviewed executives at six top banks to gauge their teams’ level of candor. We found that the teams that scored the lowest on candor saw the poor- est financial returns among those banks during the recent global economic crisis. In contrast, groups that communicated can- didly about risky securities, lending prac- tices, and other potential problems were able to preserve shareholder value.

Indeed, in our research at more than 50 large companies over the past three years, we identified “observable candor” as the behavior that best predicts high- performing teams. But asking people to be candid in the absence of a supportive organizational culture is a challenge. We believe that forthrightness should not just be encouraged but required. We’ve devel- oped three techniques to help coworkers at all levels interact more directly:

Keith Ferrazzi is the CEO of Ferrazzi Greenlight, a research- based consulting and training company, and the author of Who’s Got Your Back (Broadway Books, 2009).Ferrazzi

Colleagues who are afraid to speak honestly to people’s faces do it behind their backs.

1. Break meetings into smaller groups. When five or more people meet, those with confidence and commanding voices will dominate. Even strong speakers may find it hard to take risks in front of a larger audience. One solution is to break a big meeting up into groups of two or three to brainstorm for a few minutes, and then have a spokesperson from each group re- port back to the entire team. Smaller groups promote higher degrees of risk taking and increase the odds that more voices will be heard.

2. Designate a “Yoda.” We all remem- ber the wise Jedi Master from Star Wars. In our research, we asked for volunteers or picked one or two people in the room to be the official advocates of candor. A Yoda’s job is to notice and speak up when some- thing is being left unsaid. (The Yoda may also call out anyone whose criticism is un- constructive or disrespectful.) If the Yoda has not spoken up for a period of time, the

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leader should interrupt the meeting and ask him if the group is missing anything.

3. Teach “caring criticism.” Nega- tive feedback can hurt, but usually it’s a gift aimed at helping the recipient im- prove performance or avoid mistakes. We should deliver and receive it that way. Use phrases like “I might suggest” and “Think about this.” When receiving candid feed- back, thank the person who offered it and make clear the points on which you agree. We’ve found that if you think of the per- son giving you honest feedback as gener- ous, rather than critical, you become less defensive and more open to changing your behavior.

True collaboration is impossible when people don’t trust one another to speak with candor. Solving problems requires that team members be unafraid to ask questions or propose wrong answers. Risk management is another area that relies almost completely on people’s admitting their mistakes. It takes work to create a candid environment supported by respect- ful, honest relationships, but it’s a chal- lenge every leader should embrace.

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For the exclusive use of L. Zhang, 2023.

This document is authorized for use only by Limeng Zhang in Strategic Management (MGMT 4890) taught by Kelly Ashihara, Dongguk University from Dec 2022 to Jun 2023.