The higher leaders go, the more likely they are to find themselves in an echo chamber, surrounded by people who think like them and agree with them. This occurs partly because of the affinity bias, which leads us to favor, associate with, and hire the people to whom we feel most similar. This dearth of diverse perspectives is further compounded by a couple of issues: problem-solving methods that lead to groupthink and the difficulty of establishing psychological safety. Collectively, these forces can result in leaders getting stuck in an echo chamber.
How Leaders Can Escape Their Echo Chambers
Six strategies to ensure your team tells you what you need to hear.
July 21, 2022
Summary.
While leaders are broadly aware of the importance of creating a psychologically safe culture to encourage candor, they are less cognizant of how subtle leadership behaviors can get in the way of people speaking up. In this article, the author shares behaviors that leaders might not realize shut down dissenting perspectives and offers guidance about what to do instead. Taking these actions will help you step outside the bubble of agreement where many leaders unwittingly exist.
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Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor®. HBR Learning’s online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Leading People. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies.
What you need to know about being in charge.