Either Shout or Listen

The meeting was entirely quiet, with only the leader speaking. The leader was asking numerous questions, but there were no responses.

This meeting was crucial for ensuring the project was completed on time, as deadlines had already been missed and significant stakes were involved. The project was for a high-profile client, and failing to deliver on time could result in losing a major account for the company.

The leader shifted into problem-solving mode, posing detailed questions to the team. While some tactical answers emerged, participation remained very low. After five minutes, the project manager became the first target of criticism, facing a lot of backlash from the leader.

Others had that look on their faces which said

"Here it goes again"

This is a common phenomenon in many organisations and the problem statement emerges as -

"People don't have accountability here. They don't even want to participate, so that's pathetic"

Here is the reality

In this case like most others the lack of participation was not due to a lack of awareness about the project's progress but rather because

Team members did not feel safe enough to speak up and share their thoughts with the leader. This is a grave issue and a significant blind spot for the leaders.

The team is usually aware of the project's risks, resource limitations, and other factors affecting progress, often having a more realistic view than the leader's optimistic perspective. Unfortunately, the leader's approach can create an environment that discourages open communication, leading to a toxic culture within the organisation.

Everyone wants to be successful, every one. But only if the environment becomes a blocker, people act as victims. Success or failure is not solely dependent on the team's efforts; the leader's influence is equally significant.

Safety is the primary concern of every human being. Once in threat mode, people get into a FREEZE mode and act silent. This is a survival instinct and no one has a control over this. The usual narrative heard by employees' head is

"I am trying to tell the truth, if you do not want to listen, how will the problem get solved?"

Employees want to contribute, but if they don't feel safe and valued, they become disengaged.

Companies often attempt to address these issues in meetings where leaders are aggressive, failing to create a supportive atmosphere, just by working on the people but the real issue with the leader.

The bottom line is - Teams have targets and Leaders have targets. But just because of a behaviour of pin pointing people as reason of failure, leaders don't help but jeopardise target achievement even further.