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ATD Blog

Culture of Voice—A Key Ingredient for Talent Development

Wednesday, June 24, 2015
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For decades, companies have tried to find the best way to attract, retain, and develop talent. While there is no agreement on the best talent development process, one practice must be in place and working well: communication up and down the organizational ladder.  

Open communication processes are a prerequisite to a Culture of Voice, which occurs when leaders create a psychologically safe environment for associates to discuss their aspirations, challenges, and wins. This type of culture is evident when employees and their leaders are completely open and honest about their current experiences—both good and bad. 

This open communication dynamic results in knowledge transfer between levels, thus informing talent development strategies. Compare that to development strategies designed behind closed doors, as though they are top-secret, fully assembled plans to be disclosed only when the varnish dries.  Creating a Culture of Voice requires attention to three basic conditions:

  1. top-down and bottom-up communication
  2. determining who gets heard and why
  3. tolerance for unique views and opinions. 

Top-down and bottom-up communication is not a new idea. Managers have talked about the benefits of two-way communication since the dawn of the Industrial Revolution. Why then is it not a common practice? 

One reason may pertain to a Culture of Silence, which exists when employees decide to willfully withhold important work-related information. Silence essentially slows or stops the flow of knowledge in organizations. The most common cause of a silence culture is a perception of egregious leadership practices. Another common cause is a belief among managers that they know what is best for their employees and the business. This may be the case; however, managers who subscribe to this belief system usually discourage rather than encourage voice from their employees. 

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Bottom line: Encouraging voice is critical for information sharing between a manager and employees—especially for development purposes. 

Determining who gets heard and why requires some self-reflection on the part of the manager.  Do managers listen to as many employees as possible or only a few who make it to the inner circle?  An inventory of “go-to” people is great, as long as the “go-to population doesn’t resent it or burn out and as long as the “do-not-go-to” people don’t shut down because they feel ignored and marginalized. 

A superior talent management process has the capability to enhance everyone’s performance rather than a select few individuals, ultimately making everyone feel as though they are being heard and that they have an equal share of voice. It is a leader’s responsibility to create a safe climate for both manager and employee to discuss current performance and determine the best course of action. 

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A safe environment means that there is little or no judgment and a demonstration of what we call the “20/80 Rule.” When leaders follow this rule, they are talking and telling 20 percent of the time and listening and drawing others out 80 percent of the time. Listening is a tricky business, though. 

Humans speak at a rate of 250 words per minute and process 450 words per minute. Consequently, there is a natural inclination for our minds to move faster than anyone’s physical ability to speak.  Leaders must concentrate on listening to every spoken word and observing every unspoken word during employee/manager communication so that their development guidance is fully informed.  

To encourage voice, leaders should be aware of common views and opinions expressed in group settings. Group behavior can lean toward acceptance of common views based on several criteria including individual source credibility and, historical track record. However, there are times when the most common views are not the best ones. 

Encouraging unique views and opinions in group settings can result in a Culture of Voice. For example, when a leader asks, “Who sees this problem/issue differently?” and she waits for a response, it signals to group members that there is a tolerance for outlying views. Of course, the leader cannot do this one time and expect different results (such as unique views). Consistency is the name of the game. Try this practice in four consecutive meetings and track the input from group members. 

Combined, these three practices can encourage open dialogue throughout the talent management process. Employees can discuss their aspirations and challenges openly with managers without fear of reprisal and judgment. Additionally, at the business-unit level, it is incumbent upon each manager to do everything possible to encourage voice and minimize silence in their work group. Collectively, if all managers do their part, the entire organization benefits from a Culture of Voice. 

About the Author

Rob Bogosian is co-author of Breaking Corporate Silence with Christine Mockler Casper, and the founder and principal consultant at RVB Associates. The firm offers a range of consulting services focused on linking management and leadership development to business strategy for achieving competitive advantage. Prior to establishing RVB Associates, Rob was vice president of performance development at Wachovia Corporation, a national financial services company. In that capacity, he was responsible for developing consistent leadership practices and organization development initiatives throughout Wachovia’s asset management line of business. In addition, he oversaw the development of the business line’s high performing, high potential talent, and played a pivotal role with executive teams and individuals helping them achieve their performance development goals.

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