Inspiring Workplaces: Speaking the Truth...Without Walking the Plank

Published: Wed, 09/19/18

Humor at Work

ISSUE 743 - Sept. 19, 2018


			Speaking the Truth...Without Having to Walk the Plank

	A study by Deloitte found that 70% of employees across a wide range of industries admitted to not speaking up about workplace issues that might compromise performance! One of the most important practices at Netflix, one that has contributed to their phenomenal growth and success, has been their insistence that everyone practice radical honesty and communicate in a timely fashion when it comes to serious issues. Netflix has discovered that not providing honest feedback does a disservice to employees, conversely, promoting continuous and truthful communication where everyone knows everything is the only way to instill trust, help people grow, and flush out different ideas and perspectives that help the company succeed. Here are few things Netflix does to encourage honest, open communication, as detailed in the brilliant book, Powerful, by Patty McCord: Senior managers hold debates in front of employees on key issues to model how to debate effectively, encourage curiosity about the business, and show that, no, you won't have to walk the plank if you speak uncomfortable truths. Netflix made it an unacceptable practice to ever speak about someone behind their back. New employees are told to speak up and ask questions: "If you don't ask questions, you won't get any answers." Leaders admit when they were wrong about their perspective on an idea and why they changed their mind. The executive team and entire company practices a form of feedback they call, Start, Stop, Continue: Each person tells a colleague one thing they are doing really well that they should continue, one thing they should start doing, and one thing to stop doing. They encourage everyone to debate their case based on facts and evidence. As McCord points out, when anyone presents their case in a way that makes it clear they are thinking only of the good of the entire company and it is based on facts, not ego, then people are far more open to your idea and more likely to listen! Asking questions such as, "How do you know that's true?" and "Can you help me understand why you believe that's true?" helps steer conversations in a healthy direction.

		Mike's Fun at Work Tip

Pirate "Barney the Back-Stabber" here with an important reminder that today, September 19, is the day many of you have been waiting for! Yes, it's official International Talk Like a Pirate Day! So here's another alter ego name generator for you to use at your next meeting or for the rest of today. Walk the plank on over to the Pirate Name Generator to find the pirate names for you and your teammates.
		Deep Thought of the Week

"Always be yourself, unless you can be a pirate. Then always be a pirate."
		It's a Wacky World

The photo web sharing site Shutterfly offers customers this delightful option on their voicemail menu: "If you want to hear these options again, but in pirate, please press nine." It's a fun way to delight and surprise their customers. If you want to speak pirate, at least for today, check out the on-line Pirate Translator, where you can also learn some good pirate insults, such as: "Yer breath could kill a Kraken, ye parrot-loving, mutinous rogue!" And remember, "To err is human, but to arr is pirate!"

Cost-Savings to Bring Mike in to Energize Your Workplace!

Toronto: Oct.8-10 Winnipeg: Oct.15-16 Sydney, NS: Oct.18-20
Texas: Oct. 24-26
Costa Rica: Jan. 3-18 Winnipeg: Jan. 23-24

Well That's Just Awkward Speaking of having honest conversations, Mike is quoted in the Business Insider article, How to Deal with Seven Awkward Confrontations at Work

Follow Humor at Work