A recent issue of Better Business Bureau TrustBrief (1/23/12) reported a story from CBS MoneyWatch (1/23/12) on why employees aren’t sharing their ideas:

1. Does there always have to be a person at fault?
2. Have you already made up your mind?
3. Does the boss speak first?
4. Is failure punished?
5. Are you defensive or accusatory?

If leaders want their people to speak up, “they need to create an environment where things that are new and different aren’t immediately rejected and mistakes are not the end of the world.”

The author of the article, Suzanne Lucas, spent 10 years in corporate Human Resources. She founded the Carnival of HR, a bi-weekly gathering of HR blogs, and her writings have been used in HR certification and management training courses across the country.