The business consultant named the main reason for the silence of employees

Almost half of the employees preferred to keep silent about serious problems at work at least once, fearing a negative reaction from management. Georgy Melik-Yeganov, a leading business consultant at SmartValues, told Izvestia on February 2 why it is customary for Russian companies to hide mistakes and how the fear of "bad news" undermines business from the inside.

According to the expert, the team's ability to openly and constructively discuss the most difficult issues remains one of the key and underestimated factors of competitiveness. However, such communication is rare — and it's not about the indifference of employees.

"The reason is the lack of psychological security — the ability to speak out without fear of consequences. Therefore, simple appeals to "speak as it is" do not work," he explained.

Every day, employees notice mistakes — their own, colleagues or management. In a healthy corporate environment, such signals become a reason to discuss and adjust processes. In places where there is no psychological security, people avoid direct dialogue, discuss problems informally and gradually get used to them as an inevitability, the consultant noted.

Unresolved issues accumulate and over time, especially during periods of market turbulence, develop into systemic crises that management discovers too late. There is a gap between managers and performers: the former focus on successful reports, the latter face the consequences of miscalculations on a daily basis.

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According to Melik-Yeganov, the culture of silence destroys not only business processes, but also employees themselves. A feeling of powerlessness is formed, people emotionally distance themselves or live in a constant stress mode.

"The victim's position appears: energy is spent not on development, but on self-defense. Employees begin to ignore the rules if their observance threatens conflict or requires uncomfortable conversations," the expert noted.

The fear of making mistakes, he added, enhances impostor syndrome even among successful professionals, and the need to maintain the illusion of well-being often leads to burnout. For managers, their own miscalculations often amount to a "loss of face." At the same time, slogans about openness, according to the consultant, only increase tension and increase the distance in the team.

To form psychological security, Georgy Melik-Yeganov advises developing the skills of conducting complex dialogues — conversations in which opposing positions collide and sensitive topics are discussed. First of all, this is important for managers. The expert clarified that we are talking about practices that are rarely taught.: how to build a dialogue with an employee who is afraid to talk about mistakes or criticizes without arguments. It is such conversations that form an environment where honesty becomes the norm.

On January 20, Lidiya Inshina, a clinical psychologist, specialist in manipulation and extreme communication, told how to deal with stress during work. She noted that one small object on the desktop is enough to remind you of your goals or life. It serves as a visual trigger that helps you quickly get out of a state of anxiety and restore inner balance.

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