General Motors. BP. The U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs. These organizations (and the controversy that trails them) raise a question that resounds across industries: what kept employees from speaking up? In this slideshare, Rob Bogosian and Christine Mockler Casper, co-authors of “Breaking Corporate Silence,” help you determine whether you’re contributing to a culture of silence while also illustrating how silence can negatively impact your employees and the bottom line. For more information, visit www.breakingcorporatesilence.com.

1. Your Employees Are Withholding
Valuable Information
And You Could Be the Reason Why

2. What do General Motors,
the U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs &
the Titanic have in common?

3. All have been
deeply impacted
by a culture of
silence, resulting
in a substantial
loss of
productivity,
revenue, trust
and human lives.

4. What causes employee
SILENCE?

5. LEADERS' UNDERLYING BELIEFS ABOUT THEIR ROLES
AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
THE VALUES THAT THOSE BELIEFS COMPEL (INTEGRITY,
TIMELINESS, TRANSPARENCY).
THE BEHAVIORS THAT MANIFEST THEMSELVES IN A
MANAGER’S STYLE, STEMMING LARGELY FROM HIS OR
HER BELIEFS AND VALUES.

6. Aggressive and autocratic leadership
behaviors, the common cause of silence
cultures, affect employees' self-worth.

7. 13.6% of U.S.
employees are
affected by aggressive
leadership.

8. Aggressive leadership annually
costs U.S. companies ....
medical expenses
$44 billion
$50 billion
lost productivity
absenteeism, turnover and
lower effectiveness
$23.8 billion

9. Constantly learns
and involves
followers in the quest
for competitive
superiority
Believes that followers
have lots to contribute
Encourages followers
to learn and grow in
their current roles
Creates a level
playing field for
innovation and
decision-making
Self-reflects and gains
insights into his or her
influence and impact
Asks and listens
more than he or she
talks and tells
Believes feedback is a
gift rather than a threat

10. Are You a High-
Influence Leader,
Creating a Culture
of Voice?

11. OR ARE YOU CREATING A
CULTURE OF
SILENCE?

12. It’s time to ask yourself some key questions ...

13. In how many staff meetings,
within the last six months,
did you get the “bovine
stare” – a blank look – from
the group when you asked
for input?

14. Within the last
week, who were the
employees that
openly
disagreed
with you?

15. How many half-baked
ideas have you received
from employees in the
last two weeks that you
hoped would die on the
vine?

16. How many times in the last month have you responded
to an employee's idea with the phrase
"LET ME PLAY DEVIL'S ADVOCATE"
or something equivalent?

17. Your answers
may indicate
your role in
creating a
CULTURE OF
SILENCE.

18. Creating aCULTURE OF VOICE
Requires Six Leadership Practices of
HIGH-INFLUENCE LEADERSHIP
that result in open communication,
knowledge transfer, teamwork and
cooperation.

19. For more answers, diagnostic tools
and resources to help you create a
CULTURE OF VOICE visit:
www.breakingcorporatesilence.com
Sources
Tepper, B. J. & Henle, C. A. (2006). Procedural injustice, victim precipitation, and
abusive supervision. Personnel Psychology, 59, 101-123.
Stewart, W. F. et al. (2003) Cost of lost productive work time among U.S. workers and
depression. Journal of the American Medical Association, 289, 3135-3145.
Crocker & Major (1989).
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