How to get employees to talk and execs to listen

An open dialogue among management and employees does wonders for a company.

No one likes to be told he’s failing; big-egoed executives take particular exception—and, as a result, refuse to listen to or believe critical feedback from inside the company.

Communicators, of course, know this is a huge mistake. Employees often have invaluable insights about the company, its products and how it’s run; by not listening to them, companies run significant risks.

“If executives are walking around thinking everyone understands and believes in their strategic objectives and initiatives, yet employees are merely paying lip service to those plans and activities, initiatives will inevitably stagnate or proceed gradually,” says Josh Leibner, who as principal of Quantum Performance, has conducted hundreds of feedback sessions between employees and executives.

Too often, Leibner says, executives think that because they have communicated their intentions broadly, and no one has raised objections, that everyone is on board.