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HBR IdeaCast · 2026-04-28 · 32 min · 6,343 words

Why Your Team Won’t Speak Up (And How to Fix It)

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Turn breakthrough ideas into real results at the virtual HBR Innovation Summit this November with top CEOs and masterclasses on AI and growth. Register by September 30th and save 25%. Learn more at hbr.org slash innovation summit. I'm Audie Ignatius. I'm Alison Beard and this is the HBR Idea cast.

So I'm sure every manager has experienced this at one time or another. You sincerely encourage your employees to speak up. truthfully, to give their unvarnished opinions about what's happening at work without fear of retribution. You try to set up a psychologically safe environment, but guess what? No one speaks up.

Yes, I have seen this happen all of the time. And even me, you know, I'm a pretty forthright person, but I don't always say exactly what's on my mind, especially to higher level leaders. And I guess that reflects an anxiety we all have that total candor won't actually be appreciated. Well, exactly. And I think, look, I think smart leaders know that the ideal scenario where you get people to talk openly and fearlessly about what's working, about what's not working at the company, can be a real gift.

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