fear of offending

There is a thin line between agreeably disagreeing and offending someone - especially when this happens, most often inadvertantly, with someone who can influence your "good fortunes"! It is easy for many of us to relate to this in an organzational context.

It is important to speak the truth and do the right things. How many people, how often, are able to speak the truth and do the right things? Organizational environment in general has become so complex that people are often confused about how to respond to situations. Organizational politics has become a serious management topic.

At the same time, the business pressure and challenges have been rising exponentially. Thus the need for realizing the truth and doing the right things keep rising equally.

A few things certainly need attention:

* Constant encouragement to speak the truth; re-inventing the open culture
* Realizing the need for higher levels of executive patience to understand the ground realities
* A set up to constantly monitor the pulse at grass root levels; indications of real issues plaguing the organization come from the bottom
* Ability to distinguish between superficial actions and fundamental changes/actions based on ground realities
* (Needless to say)the importance of taking the right actions through successful completion

The parallel endeavor should be to develop people's communication skills with an emphasis on "how to present the bitter truths". Once developed we will certainly realize how invaluable this skill is. However well-trained people we are, it is not an easy task to reveal bitter truths at all times.

It is a combination of the right communication skill of the people and the open culture of the leadership that can eliminate "fear of offending" at workplace.

If we closely observe at all levels from top to bottom in an organization, we will see that fear of offending is a subtle element that becomes a fundamental dampner in a business environment.