Freedom from fear at work helps us to learn better, perform better and save lives.
More than anyone else, knowledge workers need to be able to work without fear. They need psychological security. However, this can neither be equated with a lack of expectations nor guaranteed by a job. Rather, employees need to feel safe enough to admit mistakes and express concerns - without this leading to interpersonal conflicts. If, on the other hand, they are afraid of saying the wrong thing, making mistakes or putting their foot in their mouth, this will have repercussions for the future: they may not share their opinion with the boss today, even though it could be of great benefit tomorrow.
Many people are familiar with this: dangerous mistakes are made in companies, colleagues are silenced or great opportunities are overlooked. And no one protests - for fear of the consequences. Amy C. Edmondson backs up her passionate plea against the culture of silence with impressive case studies: Many fatal accidents in the aviation or nuclear industries could have been prevented, seriously ill people saved and companies saved from bankruptcy if someone had raised the alarm in time. This practical guide helps to create the necessary conditions for this.
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Amy C. Edmondson is Professor of Leadership and Management at Harvard Business School. Her research and teaching focuses on team building, decision-making and learning processes in organizations.
