We all know that the people who are closest to the work know why things are going wrong, and they usually have great ideas on how to solve them.

So, why then, when leaders ask what is really going on, almost nobody wants to honestly answer that question? Even the brave souls sugar coat, dusting the answer with recognition of some sort and with minimizing the impact of the real issue.

Leaders are often kept in the dark by their staff, ‘protected’ from the unforeseen hiccups and delays that inevitably accompany most high-visibility projects. Until, almost certainly, there is a big enough risk that the project might fail greatly. Only then will somebody step up and spill the beans.

And sometimes that somebody is too late.

What if there was one question that would unlock this secret though? Would you share it with your CEO, CFO, CIO, supervisor or manager? And would you, the leader of your company, organization, department and of your team, ask it?

Before you answer, allow me to give you more information so that you can choose the best answer.

Let’s say that you are a passionate person who really cares about the people, the product and the impact your company could have IF we all could talk about how to make it successful together. IF everybody would be on board, know what to do, and see things the way you see things…

Would you now share this one question with your leader? Would you now be willing to ask it if the value would be there for you?

Well, here it is. The one question that will change your organization’s culture forever is: “How many of you feel uncomfortable sharing what is really going on in our company?”

Why is this the one question that will unlock your company’s culture? It is simple. Let me tell you my story.

I was leading a group of 12 people when I noticed that the team’s performance was slowing down, less progress was being made and the team was becoming oddly too polite in their interactions, less easy going, less natural. Although my curiosity of “Team, what is going on?” received reassuring words and smiles, deep down in my gut I knew something was going on.

I thought about pulling one or two members aside to talk with them, but I decided not to. That might have given me the information that I was looking for, nevertheless it would have broken the trust with the rest of the team. I would have looked like a leader who went behind their backs – literally. I was not such a leader. I stood with them, in the front, and led them – no matter what. So, I thought, how would I stand in front of them this time? Then an idea popped into my head. I would ask them to tell me! Wait, I had already done that. And that question failed. Nobody volunteered to share. Nobody raised their hands. Hands…? How could I have all hands in the air…? What if I would turn the question around so that they would want to raise their hands? What if I would ask this “How many of you feel uncomfortable sharing what is going on?” 

My explanation for the power of this question is this. If I hear that question, part of my primitive brain, the amygdala, starts flashing red signals in support of raising my hand. I do not feel comfortable sharing, that is for sure, because I do not feel safe and I do not want to get in trouble. And if I do not raise my hand, I might signal that I feel comfortable sharing and thus there is a high chance that I might get called upon. Again, DANGER, I do not want to be called upon. I do not want to talk in public. So, the only option in an unsafe culture is for a great majority to raise their hands. There will always be one or two who won’t because they do not care about the danger, or they simply were not paying attention and did not hear the question.

And it’s what comes next that really changes the culture.

In my case all hands went up. I asked my team to keep their hands up and look around. Everybody’s hand was in the air, thus everybody was in the same boat. They all signaled to each other that there was something going on. We were all in this together. I asked them to shake the next person’s hand and tell them “I know you know there is something going on.” The other person was asked to say “Obviously, my friend!” The room burst into laughter. They were shaking hands and laughing. I knew then that I was on the right track. “So, now that we all are on the same page, let’s talk about the issues like everybody knows them and as they are part of this project. And let’s solve them together and get back on track with our progress.”

I know you have a question for me. Let me answer it. Yes, this one question can be asked of a team of 2, 12, 20, 120 and every number in between. It is the leader’s passion to bring people together that will unlock the possibility for a shift in the culture following this question. The secret door in unlocked now. May you open it and walk in.

I can tell you it works because I experienced it.  And I am curios: what is your answer now?

Would you share this one question? Would you ask this one question?

I am a coach. I work with leaders who say yes. Together we figure out the rest.