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Now that I’ve got your attention!!

Truth Telling & Truth Suppression:Lies, Myths. and Realities

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Now that Ive got your attention!!

Truth Telling & Truth Suppression: lies, myths, and realitiesSubtitle

Presentation is early conceptual development- why this is of interest?Between my wife, Barbara and I, we have worked for no less 20 organizations We have see both unique and common patterns in truth telling

why this is of interestIn my capacity in multiple jobs have dealt with about 200 organizations in the last 35 years in three states Small businessFortune 500 companiesMid-size businessesNot for profitGovernment

Presentation is early conceptual development- why this is of interest?Experienced some world class organizations and leaders and some highly dysfunctional organizations with pathetic leadership and management.OVERALL RESEARCH QUESTION- What are the impacts of Truth Telling or Suppression on the organization, performance, morale, and survival.Towards a conceptual model and then empirical research

leT ME TELL YOU A STORYThe Case of the Badly Bashed Bearing

The Case of the Badly Bashed Bearing

Several experiences led to a 2 part article in the Daily JournalRewarding Bad NewsThis essay is one my favorite of over 250 articles I have written or co-authored in last 8 yearsBut now its time for more concrete research

The ideal and the ChallengeNever be afraid to raise your voice for honesty and truth and compassion against injustice and lying and greed. If people all over the world...would do this, it would change the earth. William FaulknerIn a room wherepeople unanimously maintaina conspiracy of silence,one word of truthsounds like a pistol shot. Czesaw Miosz

From a Christian perspective truth telling needs to be done with care

Growing issue for companies, employees,& institutions, facing complex tradeoffsObvious failures to tell the truth or perhaps more subtlety- suppressing the truth.But there is potentially a major difference.Outright lying has led to massive financial failures.

On the other hand, while not lying intentionally, truth suppression is can result in a catastrophic disaster

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSTrmJtHLFU

One of the Greatest disasters of all time--Bhopal India Union Carbide: Dec 2-3, 19848,000-16,000 estimated death tollA total of over 550,000 people were injured in some wayWhile certainly not intentional, based of negligence and no doubt managers suppressing the truth about the potential risks

While these are dramatic examples many of us have faced the dilemma regarding whether to speak up or notA bad product or idea gets producedSubstandard services are deliveredNumbers are shaved or inflated for gainCheating or dishonesty is tolerated or goes unreportedComparisons to competitors deliberately only tell part of the story

TRuth telling failures- 2 categoriesSins of CommissionShading the truth to avoid conflict or adverse reactionsFlat out making up numbers or accomplishments

Sins of Omission-Failing to speak up when someone is being unfairly hurt-Failing to speak up when you know false information is be propagated

Organizational realities that mitigate against truth tellingStrong culture that emphasizes unity and getting along can be a good thing butDANGER: Can lead to GROUPTHINK

Religious/faith-based organization are especially vulnerable on this point

Organizational realities that mitigate against truth tellingHierarchical bureaucracy which is necessary to provide rationalityDANGER: filters out great ideas, or alternative solutions, or bad news (see Rewarding Bad News column)

Organizational realities that mitigate against truth tellingA Privileged ClassNepotism Loyalty at any costDANGER- best ideas never heard or necessary warnings given

Importance of Contingency theoryWhat to do or what to practiceIt all depends..PERSPECTIVE: Based your Industry, products, people, history, size, business cycle and on and onThere is GOOD NEWS & BAD NEWSBAD NEWS there is no one solution that fits everyoneGOOD NEWS- you get to make it up as you go based on your situation & EVIDENCE!

Another Story of a better outcomeThe 3 M CompanySupport of truth telling and innovation

Freedom to tell The truth and fail..

Post-it notes--an accident A mistake grown into a billion dollar business because of culture of opennessA "solution without a problem

To tell the Truth has consequences

May be subject to comments like:Weve heard that all before Yes because we never solve the underlying problem!You are hurting the morale of the group What morale?You need to be a team player A loosing team at that!You just dont see the big pictureWhose fault is that?You should just be glad you have a job! Wel let heaven and nature sing#!?

And the Mother of all destructive commentsWhile usually well intended has a very chilling effectDont bring me a problem bring me a solution

And the Mother of all destructive commentsWhile well usually well intended has a very chilling effectDont bring me a problem bring me a solution

Adverse consequences of truth tellingPut downsCriticismGetting called in or called outLoss of promotion and salary increasesExclusion from key decisionsMore work or more problems to solveAnger by others

Incentives for truth suppressionGet along by going alongMore peaceful, less chaoticLess workBetter liked by some peopleOut of sight out of mindReduced liability (or so it may seem)

Possible reasons people suppress rather than tell the truthMore trouble than its worthTo get along you go alongGet labeled as trouble makerLoss of promotional opportunitiesRelegated to outsider status

BUt ultimately here is the big elephant in the room ..or the tiny house

BUt ultimately here is the big elephant in the room ..or tiny house

Unrecognized or under-recognized in most of the current literature is..Most of population simply cannot afford to be out of work for a week, a month, or more permanentlyOne-third of people ages 36 to 51 said they had saved nothing in an emergency fund

Unrecognized in most of the current literature is..66 million people have not emergency fundsWhy would an employee risk telling the truth even though it may be critical to the organization. and risk loosing source of income

The truth shall make you free

A great danger in rigid truth suppression cultures.The good and productive will give up and leave

The mediocre and unproductive will give up and stay

Creating a culture of cohesiveness and yet creative conflict-Andy Grove of Intel ferocious arguing with one another while remaining friends and is critical to the creation of new knowledge.

Dr. Don Daake April 2017

Creating a culture of cohesiveness and yet creative conflict-Meg Whitman of eBay we have a no penalty culture, meaning that there is no penalty for being on the wrong side of an issue or changing your mind in the face of better information.

Dr. Don Daake April 2017

Creating a culture of cohesiveness and yet creative conflictGE committed to stimulating and relishing change rather than being frightened or paralyzed by it; seeing change as an opportunity, not a threat; having a passion for excellence; hating bureaucracy and all the nonsense that comes with it; having enormous energy and the ability to energize and invigorate others.

Dr. Don Daake April 2017

So what is to be done.Financial security of employees- contracts, severance pay, etc.Ombudsman programsA culture of risk taking and no penalty cultureStructured truth telling such as DA, DI, Delphi Techniques

Solutions. Proposed exploratory hypotheses

Hypothesis 1H1a The degree to which a person cannot afford to lose their income, the less willing they are to tell the truth and therefore they will suppress the truth.H1b Employees who are economically well off or even totally financially independent are more likely to speak the truth to power.

H2 Ombudsman programsH2aOrganizations that employ effective untouchable ombudsman programs are more likely to hear the truth.H2bOrganizations who employ effective programs will have higher survival rates and perform better financially.H2cOrganizations with effective ombudsman programs will attract and keep better talent.

H3 Building a culture of unity and dissentH3a Organizations that deliberately build a culture of unity & dissent and reward it will perform better.H3b Organizations that deliberately build a culture of unity dissent and reward it will be more innovative.H3c Organizations that deliberately build a culture of unity dissent and reward it are less likely to experience unforeseen disasters and will have a higher survival rate.H3d Organizations that deliberately build a culture of unity dissent and reward will attract and retain better talent.

Quote from a Perry Mason EpisodePerry reading from a case The failure to pursue truth because it is easier or expedient, is a failure to pursue justice.

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