Every business owner has been in a meeting where everyone nods along.
No questions.
No pushback.
No concerns.
It feels good in the moment, but it's the biggest red flag you can get.
Because silence doesn't mean alignment.
Silence means fear.
Change fails when people don't feel safe telling you the truth.
They see risks you don't.
They notice problems early.
They know where the cracks are.
And if they're not bringing those things to you, your change program is flying blind.
Great leaders don't demand agreement, they create a space where honest conversations happen.
If you want your change initiatives to succeed, start by making it safe to disagree.
It's about embarking on an adventure together, understanding and respecting each other's roles, and navigating the inevitable changes with agility and empathy.
ALSO IN THE REGISTER
- Entry 10The steering committee meets every fortnightA steering committee that receives decisions as updates is not governing, and the fix starts with five lines on the paper.2 MIN
- Entry 09The operating model comes after the system (it never does)A programme cannot skip the operating model, it can only skip designing it.2 MIN
New entries, when there’s something worth saying.