If you presented your team with a flawed project, would they have the courage to suggest ways of improving it? That was the experiment undertaken by the managers of a financial institution, as part of a study conducted by Imperial College Business School. The results indicate that certain managerial behaviors have a decisive impact on encouraging constructive criticism, and notably the following:

– Asking precise questions. When questions were too broad (“What do you think of that?”), few team members dared to challenge the idea being put forward. More targeted questions, highlighting the possibility of improving the idea (“What do you think might go wrong?”), were far more effective.

– Acknowledging concerns as valid and legitimate. The way in which the manager receives the first critical contribution is decisive. Contrary to what one might think, thanking the person is insufficient. Responses that explicitly validate the objection, such as ”That’s a legitimate concern”, encourage a higher level of constructive feedback.

– Making team members co-responsible. Directly engaging team members’ responsibility—for instance, through a vote—encourages them to share their concerns.

Source: Five Ways Leaders Can Get People to Speak Up, Celia Moore, Kate Combs, MIT Sloan Management Review, November 2024.