Transform your workplace culture by building trust and encouraging honest communication—here’s how to get your team talking.

The Real Secret to Open Communication in Leadership

“The culture of a team is not defined by what leaders say. It’s shaped by what they’re willing to tolerate. If you want a culture of open dialogue, you have to reward people for speaking up—and stop protecting those who shut others down.” — Adam Grant

This quote from organizational psychologist Adam Grant cuts to the heart of workplace communication challenges. In my previous post, we explored how to simplify complex ideas into clear messages. Today, we’re tackling the second essential element of effective leadership communication: creating a culture of open dialogue.

Why Open Dialogue Matters More Than You Think

After years of refining my communication style, I’ve learned that how you communicate is only half the equation. The other half is understanding why people are willing to talk with you in the first place.

Building trust is crucial to communicating clearly. Without an environment where people feel free to give feedback and share information, you’ll never push your leadership to the next level. Research shows that teams with open communication are 5 times more likely to be high-performing.

The Trust Foundation: Why People Stop Talking

Before diving into strategies, let’s address the elephant in the room. People don’t withhold feedback because they don’t care—they do it because they don’t feel safe.

Common reasons employees avoid open dialogue include:

• Fear of retaliation or being labeled as “difficult”
• Past experiences where feedback was ignored or punished
• Lack of clear channels for sharing concerns
• Leadership behaviors that discourage honesty

Understanding these barriers is the first step toward removing them.

6 Proven Strategies to Build Open Dialogue Culture

1. Start with Leadership Behavior Changes

Model the openness you want to see. This means admitting mistakes, asking for feedback regularly, and responding constructively when people disagree with you.

Leaders set the tone for team culture. If you’re defensive or dismissive when challenged, your team will learn to stay quiet. Instead, try phrases like:

• “I made an error in judgment here…”
• “What feedback do you have on my approach?”
• “Help me understand your perspective on this”

2. Create Structured Opportunities for Input

Don’t rely on the outdated “my door is always open” policy. People need designated safe spaces and clear processes for sharing their thoughts.

Effective structured approaches include:

• Weekly one-on-one meetings with direct reports
• Monthly team retrospectives to discuss what’s working and what isn’t
• Anonymous suggestion systems for sensitive topics
• Quarterly “ask me anything” sessions
• Skip-level meetings between senior leaders and individual contributors

3. Respond Positively to All Feedback, Especially Criticism

Here’s a crucial principle: thank people for speaking up before addressing the content. When someone raises a concern, acknowledge it publicly and follow up on what you’re doing about it.

Nothing kills open dialogue faster than people feeling ignored or punished for being honest. Even if you disagree with feedback, start with appreciation: “Thank you for bringing this to my attention. Let me think through what you’ve shared.”

4. Ask Better Questions and Actually Listen

Replace weak questions with powerful ones that invite honest responses:

Instead of: “Any questions?” Try: “What concerns do you have about this approach?”

Instead of: “Does everyone understand?” Try: “What am I missing here?”

After asking, pause, make eye contact, and resist the urge to immediately defend or explain. Show you’re processing what they’re saying through your body language and follow-up questions.

5. Address the Elephants in the Room Directly

If there’s tension, confusion, or unspoken concerns affecting your team, bring them into the open. Avoiding difficult conversations doesn’t make problems disappear—it makes them fester.

Try phrases like:

• “I sense there might be some concerns about this decision—let’s talk through them”
• “There seems to be some tension around this topic. What’s going on?”
• “I’ve noticed some hesitation. What are your real thoughts?”

6. Celebrate Productive Disagreement

When someone challenges an idea and it leads to a better outcome, highlight that publicly. Make it clear that thoughtful dissent is valued, not just compliance.

Examples of celebrating productive disagreement:

• “Sarah’s pushback on our initial approach saved us from a major problem”
• “I’m glad Mike spoke up about his concerns—it led us to a much better solution”
• “This is exactly the kind of healthy debate that makes our team stronger”

The Consistency Factor: Why Most Leaders Fail

Here’s the hard truth: these behaviors need to become habits, not occasional gestures, for your culture to truly shift. Most leaders try these strategies once or twice, don’t see immediate results, and give up.

Building open dialogue culture takes time. You’re asking people to change deeply ingrained behaviors based on past experiences. Consistency over months, not weeks, is what creates lasting change.

Measuring Your Progress: Signs of Success

You’ll know your open dialogue culture is taking hold when you see:

• People bringing up problems before they become crises
• Team members disagreeing respectfully in meetings
• Increased participation in feedback sessions
• Employees suggesting improvements without being asked
• Reduced turnover and higher engagement scores

The Bottom Line: Actions Speak Louder Than Words

Remember Adam Grant’s insight: your team culture isn’t defined by what you say—it’s shaped by what you’re willing to tolerate. If you want open dialogue, you must consistently reward people for speaking up and address those who shut others down.

Start with one strategy this week. Pick the approach that feels most natural to your leadership style and commit to practicing it consistently for 30 days. Your team—and your results—will thank you.

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Ready to Transform Your Leadership Communication?

Building open dialogue is just one piece of effective leadership communication. Want more strategies for leading with clarity and confidence? Subscribe to our leadership insights or check out our previous post on simplifying complex messages.

What’s your biggest challenge in creating open dialogue? Share your experience in the comments below.

Other posts on this topic: https://darrelllindsey.com/45/how-to-improve-communication-skills-master-these-2-essential-leadership-abilities/

Resources from Adam Grant:

Website: https://adamgrant.net/

Videos on Open Dialogue: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJWFxu6k1g4&t=20s