Silence Is Not Golden At The Cannabis Office
“Leadership is solving problems. The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help or concluded you do not care.” Colin Powell
Bad decision-making, failed program execution and cultural dysfunction often trace to poor communications. Cannabis has some unique features that make these problems even worse. For example, our sector is full of junior staff who must function in fluid structures. There are no cannabis-tailored collaboration tools to leverage. Finally, remote work and disparate operations challenge effective communications.
Most underperforming weed companies can no longer afford ‘business as usual’ management practices.
It’s time to seek out staff input, listen more and promote real teamwork in planning and execution efforts.
Below are four reasons why people don’t speak up and what leaders can do about it:
1. Your staff thinks you don’t listen
They pick up negative signals based on your attitude, body language, or history with them. If your ego precludes listening – or you take a defensive tone every time someone offers feedback – don’t expect people to speak up. They will learn not to waste their breath around you and your initiatives. If you want feedback, you must be open to it, and that means encouraging and welcoming input & pushback.
2. They think you’ve already made up your mind
If you are someone who makes decisions without considering all the available information, people are eventually going to withhold key data and let you dig your own grave. To make the best decisions possible, you need all the data and then listen to it. The expectation to share regularly knowledge must be instilled across the firm.
3. Employees check out
When employees stop caring, it’s generally because they feel disconnected from the business, or – more often than not – you. This disconnect turns seemingly motivated people into clock watchers. As a leader, you are responsible for building a sense of team, and creating personal connections and trust between individuals.
4. They feel alone or intimidated
People forget or don’t realize that others might be thinking the same thing. As a result, they remain silent to avoid appearing stupid or unaware. One meeting norm should be that each person must provide a frank point of view. When reviewing new creative at P&G, senior leaders would combat groupthink and executive toadying by canvassing the opinion of each team member starting with the juniors and moving up.
#leadership #management #communications #knowledgesharing #execution #culture