Reduce Fear and Increase Trust
Introduction
Most organizations today are built around dictatorial command and management systems which reflects a rather deep mistrust of workers commitment and capability (Hamel 3). These systems tend to over-assert authorizations as a mode of forcing employees to comply. This is the primary reason as to why most organizations are full of anxious workers who are undecided to make decisions, think critically or even trust their self-based judgments. The adaptability, innovation, and high workers participation in an organization can only thrive in an environment that encourages high trust and a low fear operational culture (Hamel 3). It is in such surroundings, information is highly shared, argumentative opinions are freely articulated and taking risks is highly encouraged. Operating in an environment that is full of mistrust and fear paralyzes and discourages performance and growth and should, therefore, be sent out of the future management systems (Beal 7). Uncertainty and fear are damaging in regard to innovation and workers participation and management should focus on building trust in order to encourage growth and high production to secure organizations success in the future. ‘’Reduce fear and increase trust’’ is a feasible management moonshot that results in improved performance and encourages innovation.
Trust in the workplace is the primary necessity to achieving the wellbeing of the workers and increasing organizational performance (Beal 8). In order to generate a high performing working culture, organizational managers are anticipated to contemplate of themselves as coaches rather than submission officers. In the last century and more so in the last few years the general role of managers has been altered histrionically. In more often than ever research has consistently proven that in order to stimulate the best performance in individuals, managers should not develop a culture that is dominated by fear. A work culture that is grounded on fear destroys the morale of the most specialized workers and ensures that those workers with the opportunity to improve never attain their comprehensive potential (Beal 7). Most of the working cultures that are ruled by fear are not intentional but the outcomes and the signs are obvious and should be taken into account in trying to change the environment.
Fear workplace culture is more likely to evolve in those organizations that have authoritative hierarchical structures. In that, commands are derived from the top to the low-level employees and if the sanctions are not adhered to, disciplinary measures are certain (Paludi, Paludi, and DeSouza 8). Fear discourages participation and increased innovation since employees are afraid that their ideas and contributions might be judged as disobedience. In addition, fear constrains learning, skills development and performance but it is only the management that can modify such cultures. Trust is only developed when participation is encouraged. In that encouraging participation in decision making and operations creates a sense of fulfillment and inspiration to perform better. In an authoritarian leadership fear then manifests since the workers are not permitted to participate in decision making or raising any form of the opinion (Hurley 17). In such an environment team integration is minimal if it exists. In that, the communication from the control and management systems tends to be patronizing and aggressive which creates repetitive work that is particularly boring with little to zero opportunities for growth. The state of the oppressive management approach prevents the learning of fresh procedures and production strategies (Hurley 17).
A workplace culture that encourages fear in its staffs is certain to experience diverse issues. The fear of vengeance for the committed mistakes forces workers to be reluctant to take any form of risk that leads to reduced creativity and production (Hurley 18). With the increased heightened sensation of individual-based security, employees are bound to lose their worries for their teams or the general success of the company and instead they concentrate more of guarding themselves against any disciplinary measure. Low morale and inspiration to perform better unavoidably lead to absenteeism and their free time in addition to high turnover rate. It is immoral to ignore the fact that a culture that is dominated by fear is particularly more expensive to the organization than beneficial (Hurley 21). In that with a high rate of turn over based on the fact that the employees feel less appreciated and dissatisfied with the roles that they serve the company will be forced to spend more on recruitment and training new employees.
Fear normally arises based on the anxiety that is acquired from having distinct uncertainties in regard to the anticipated outcomes and the best way to overcome it is through promoting trust (Reina and Reina 14). When employees are assured that they will not be disciplined because they undertook measures that they believe will benefit the company positively are always willing to undertake different risks. In addition, they will be willing to participate and raise any concerns that are believed to be of negative force towards the wellness of the company. A delegation of tasks is necessary but the workers should also be permitted to perform their roles without any fear (Beal 9). In an open and honest work organization, workers will be willing to speak and share their ideas thus their loyalty to the company will increase as well as their skills and knowledge.
Reducing fear and increasing trust in the workplace is highly beneficial. Managers are in most cases in a dilemma since their workload is high and thus, if they fail to delegate to the workers then operations will fail (Reina and Reina 15). The success of any organization is fully dependent on the performance of the employees and thus their contributions and needs can never be ignored. Thus when delegation is turned to the workers who are filled with fear and mistrust, then the resulting failure will fall on the mangers. Thus, managers are continuously searching for the staffs that they can trust. A trustworthy staff is highly likely to be retained when others are discharged and creating a reputation based on dependability is valuable for professional growth and stability. Trust is the general basis for any valuable relationship amid the staffs and the organization. If employees trust one another they are likely to enjoy working collaboratively and maintain honest communications (Reina and Reina 16). Building trust involves ensuring that one is dependable which cannot be achieved in the presence of fear.
One of the primary benefits of creating and augmenting trust in the organization is that individuals in such settings are likely to feel actually encouraged and enthused to their best every day. Trust level is particularly placed on the trial when the management system is an authoritarian one. Trust is perceived to be a critical section in managing individuals and creating a high performing company (Reina 32). This is the foundation on which all the relationships are developed. In instances that workers feel not trusted to perform their roles appropriately, they become hesitant to conduct or initiate anything that is not approved. This hinders the potential of being creative and focused (Reina 32). On the other hand, when the staffs acquire the sensation that they are fully trusted and that the managers hold the belief that they are bound to do the right things they are likely to conduct things above expectations that deserves the trust and more. Gone are the days when managers and the entire control system’s efficiency was measured by their potential to sanction and ensure compliance. The working place today necessitates different measures that are not only aimed at achieving organizational success but also to create efficiency and employees satisfaction. Without a well-integrated workforce them success will only remain to be a vision that is never to be achieved (Reina 32). There is a growing necessity to build desirable relationships among workers and managers.
Every corporation depends on relationships in order to build sustainable success which is either internal or external based. All these relationships are dependent on trust and the feeling should work in both directions (Beal 11). In that, it is essential for the workers to feel trusted and also the control and command systems must also trust them. Workers desire to trust as well as believe in their managers. This creates the belief that the command and management system is focused on the wellness of the workers. The workforce is the greatest resource that any organization owns and should, therefore, be guarded at all cost. The employees might have been employed based on their abilities but the determining factor to high success is fueled by their attitudes. The more that the management system does in order to create hope and increase trust among workers the more inspired they become leading to high performance (Beal 9).
While reducing fear and increasing trust in the organization quality, performance and skills are augmented (Reina and Reina 17). Skills, knowledge, and innovativeness are some of the aspects that can only grow in an environment that encourages positive relationships and discourages fear. In that, the intention of reducing fear while augmenting trust is to allow employs to fully participate in the organization as well as work towards the success of the company. This cannot be built in a culture that only encourages delegation without creating opportunities for the staffs to respond and contribute to decision making by expressing their thoughts (Hurley 27). In a working environment that is full of trust communication flow is quite high which tends to eliminate any confusion regarding tasks and encourages all the workers to consistently strive to build their skills and act critically for the wellness of the company (Reina 32).
In conclusion, it is apparent that reducing fear and increasing trust as one of the management moonshots is a critically important component that determines the success of the organization. Firms whose workers trust the management tend to own a more participative workforce with increased efficiency. With fear, it is not possible for innovation to grow since the workforce focuses on guarding itself against any disciplinary measure rather than concentrating on the growth of the organization. Organizations that have actually lost the trust of their workers are unlikely to obtain success. It is common for the loss of trust to occur particularly in periods of economic changes but the management should at all times strive for the wellness of their employees which equals to organizational success.
Work Cited
Beal, Danna. The Extraordinary Workplace: Replacing Fear with Trust and Compassion. Boulder, CO: Sentient Publications, 2010. Print.
Gary, Hamel. Moon Shots for Management. 2009. Harvard Business Review.
Hurley, Robert F. The Decision to Trust: How Leaders Create High-Trust Organizations. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2012. Print.
Paludi, Michele A, Carmen A. Paludi, and Eros DeSouza. Praeger Handbook on Understanding and Preventing Workplace Discrimination. Santa Barbara, Calif: Praeger, 2011. Print.
Reina, Dennis S, and Michelle L. Reina. Trust and Betrayal in the Workplace: Building Effective Relationships in Your Organization. , 2015. Internet resource.
Reina, Dennis S. Rebuilding Trust in the Workplace. Readhowyouwant.com Ltd, 2011. Print.
