The imperative for industry professionals to provide challenge in the workplace has long been recognised. However, we know very little about what leaders can actually do to foster a culture of healthy challenge in their organisation. Leaders who want to encourage challenge are often met with vague advice about how they can help their teams feel safe and encouraged. To respond to this gap, Imperial College Business School's Centre for Responsible Leadership partnered with the Financial Services Culture Board and an investment bank to conduct a field experiment on team member challenge in a risk and compliance setting.
The ensuing white paper “Facilitating Constructive Challenge: Concrete Ways Leaders Recruit (and Repress) Speaking Up” provides actionable insights for leaders who seek to create environments of open communication and rigorous challenge. Such strategies are vital for enhancing risk management and decision-making processes and ultimately bolstering organisational resilience.