In the old days, companies had a suggestion box. It was immortalized in cartoons, but the idea that an employee could anonymously submit a suggestion to make things better is a first step in engagement. Some companies took this much further and paid employees for suggestions that generated profits.
Digital communication and more open workplaces have made the necessity for a box like this decrease. But we’re still often hung up on the odd cultural stigma around seeming dumb. So people don’t raise their hands, don’t ask questions and work in frustration and ignorance instead.
Something we learn as teenagers.
Perhaps we can begin with a teenager-focused solution. When your kid turns 12, give them a blank notebook. “Any time you have a question that’s embarrassing or you’re not sure who to ask, just write it down in this notebook and put it on my bed. I’ll write out an answer and return it the next day.”
By taking off some of the interpersonal pressure, this creates a useful channel for questions and answers.
And what happens if we bring the same medium to work?