There is a trend in the workplace where the leadership is encouraging and even inviting "brutal honesty" as a means of communication. These "C-level" executives announce to their management and staff that they want brutal honesty in their communication in the workplace. This invitation is on the same level as a wife who turns to her husband and says, "Do I look fat in this dress?"
As open as this invitation sounds, I find this incredibly naive. It fails to recognize the power differential that exists between the parties communicating. How is someone who's life and livelihood is dependent upong somone in power over them being pleased with them ever going to be able to rise to that level of honesty? What is even more naive is when these executives assume that since they "gave permission" for people to speak honestly (no, this does not mean you won't lose your job) that the feedback they are getting is open and honest. They stay in the dark and operate blindly without know what is going on in the trenches. Truth is not so easily teased out of a situation; especially when power and control are present.
My 78 year old mother put it succinctly. "We invite brutal honesty of all employees...and we get to be the brutes."
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It's been my experience that when leadership says "tell us what you REALLY think" they actaully mean "agree with me, and give me warm fuzzies."
When they remain silent and WATCH WHAT PEOPLE DO, how, unprompted the recipient adjusts their actions - THEN leadership really want to know what you thought.
"See how it plays in Peoria" is someone looking for the REAL opinion - what will people spend their time and money on.
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