turning ships

Harvard Business School has published an interesting interview with Amy Edmondson, a professor in the Technology and Operations Management unit who recently interviewed 190 employees in various organizations about why they don't speak up (whether to point out potential problems in the business, or to share ideas, etc.) Here is, as they say, the money quote:

Our own and others' research have shown that two beliefs are essential preconditions for the free expression of upward voice: first, the belief that one is not putting oneself at significant risk of personal harm (e.g., embarrassment, loss of material resources) and second, the belief that one is not wasting one's time in speaking up. In short, voice must be seen as both safe and worthwhile.

It's great to see someone sum up the problem so clearly. (If you can't relate, count yourself extremely lucky.) But here's the frightening part:

How do you change a culture of fear? It's difficult! Despite some well-intentioned efforts, we haven't yet worked with an organization that has fully transformed itself from one of fear to one in which most employees would rate the organization as open or conducive to speaking up.

To be fair, Edmondson goes on to say that "pockets" do exist where speaking up is encouraged in many of these organizations. But still, is there no hope for an organization with a closed culture? Is culture so embedded that no effort can crack it?