I work at an organisation that tells us almost every day how democratic and “emotionally safe” it is as a workplace.
asserted
it → work → workplace
To an extent that’s true.
asserted
that → ’ → extent
But it’s not true at all in the case of a small group of leaders.
asserted
it → ’ → leaders
They are not bad people, but they put a lie to the idea of working in a democracy.
asserted
they → put → democracy
I think at least one is aware of how their authoritarian style contradicts their HR marketing, so they always bring up the regular “360 degree feedback” review and the importance of being brutally honest during this process.
asserted
they → think → process
But I, and many of my peers, don’t feel comfortable about giving truly honest feedback.
asserted
I → feel → feedback
It’s a very small organisation and none of us believe that the process is “confidential” as promised.
asserted
process → ’ → us
Should I just bite the bullet and say my piece, even though I know true honesty will lead to confrontation and possibly discipline?
uncertain
honesty → bite → confrontation
Your leaders seem to be suggesting that the “360 degree feedback” regime they’ve implemented guards against excesses and injustice that inevitably come when people hold and wield power unchecked.
asserted
people → seem → power
They’re suggesting that you can keep them in line by simply pointing out their failings during formal “performance reviews”.
asserted
you → suggest → reviews
The idea of the “full-circle appraisal”, as I’ve heard it called, has always struck me as worthy in theory but highly dubious in practice.
asserted
it → hear → practice
And part of what makes me so doubtful is exactly what you’ve outlined in your question.
asserted
you → make → question
Why would upper-echelon managers who are predisposed to exercising and maintaining control allow even a skerrick of that control to be lost?
asserted
skerrick → predispose → control
Should you give your truly honest opinion and risk being yelled at, white-anted or worse?
asserted
you → give → opinion
That’s such a difficult question to answer confidently.
asserted
That → ’ → ?
It sounds like at least one of these leaders is self-aware enough to realise their behaviour doesn’t conform with their stated principles.
asserted
behaviour → sound → principles
But why should it take others to demand that this incongruity be remedied?
asserted
incongruity → take → others
If the answer is because this is fundamental to their purported democracy – that change needs to come from the will of the people, not the whims of the bosses – then surely the next obvious question is why do people feel so uncomfortable exercising this democratic right?
asserted
people → need → right
A “360 degree feedback” regime on its own is, as you’ve described it, nothing more than a form of HR marketing.
asserted
you → describe → marketing
Without robust rules and well-embedded cultural conventions that make even the suggestion of intimidation or retribution unthinkable, the concept is just accountability theatre.
asserted
concept → embed → intimidation
Should you give your truly honest opinion and risk being yelled at, white-anted or worse?
asserted
you → give → opinion
That’s such a difficult question to answer confidently.
asserted
That → ’ → ?
Here are a few things to think about before you make your decision.
asserted
you → think → decision
The first is just a general rule: it’s OK to trust your gut.
asserted
it → ’ → gut
You know better than me and probably anyone else how the situation is likely to play out.
asserted
situation → know → me
Don’t discount the fact that what you guess might happen after you make one decision or another, may indeed take place.
uncertain
you → discount → place
The second is whether your honest criticism will end up changing things for the better.
asserted
criticism → end → better
Putting aside any potential consequences for one moment, if you were to say “this place functions like an authoritarian regime”, would your bluntness shake these managers out of their old ways?
asserted
bluntness → put → ways
If the answer is anything other than “definitely not”, that’s where I’d bring the consequences back into the equation.
asserted
I → ’ → equation
If there’s a chance your gambit might pay off, how does the potential gain compare with the potential loss?
uncertain
gain → ’ → loss
Will you and your colleagues benefit for years to come, even if you’re initially given dark looks by management?
asserted
you → benefit → management
Of course, you may also want to go ahead knowing it will make little difference and that you’ll be ostracised or impeded (in a career sense) for doing it.
uncertain
you → want → it
Sometimes in the world of work, an act of catharsis is justified purely for its purgative effect, although usually only if you know your time at an organisation is coming to an end.
asserted
time → justify → end
Given that you’ve said the bosses in your case are acting badly but not necessarily bad people, and that your longer email makes me think you quite like parts of your job, I’m not sure you’re ready to throw a grenade and walk away.
asserted
you → give → grenade
That’s not to say you should temper your language if you end up deciding to “bite the bullet”, but don’t do it unless you know there’s at least some chance your words will effect change.
asserted
words → ’ → change
Get workplace news, advice and perspectives to help make your job work for you.
asserted
job → get → you
Sign up for our weekly Thank God it’s Monday newsletter.
asserted
it → sign → newsletter
The Aporia
