E-Mail Tip #32 - Peer Pressure in E-Mail

Guest post by: Robert Whipple
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Situational Transparency - By Robert Whipple

As with all forms of communication, e-mail messages can suffer from unbalanced input due to one dominant person, or from peer pressure. A vocal minority can edge out the silent majority, creating an inaccurate view of true sentiments. Watch for signs of this in e-mail communications.

• Do some individuals rarely participate in the discussion?

• After one person gives his or her opinion, does the debate end abruptly?

• Are there cliques in which some people find it difficult to voice their opinions without being subject to ridicule?'

• Do employee surveys indicate that some people feel left out of the conversation?

• Do some distribution lists contain obvious omissions?

• Do groups pounce on a particular individual whenever he or she tries to enter the discussion?

All of these symptoms, and more, are indicative of an imbalance. Given the political nature of people, how can you fight this? You can be a champion for open communications. Most people who are being exclusive do not realize it until it is brought to their attention. The majority of people will cooperate out of a sense of fairness, but the leader needs to set the expectation:

• Make sure it is safe for every voice to be heard.

• Maintain appropriate balance of power within the group.

• Keep communications flowing to all appropriate parties and address any inconsistent distributions.

• Take the lead in rebuilding an environment of trust and investigate how things got out of balance.

• Hold people accountable for inappropriate behavior.

A leader can also help equalize input by specifically drawing out the reticent people in this way:

• "Thank you all for the great input. I think we have a good dialog going on this topic. I would be interested in Dave's and Sue's viewpoints as well before we move forward."

Obviously, you need to do this with sensitivity, because Dave and Sue may not want to weigh in on this issue. Giving them encouragement to voice their opinion is as far as you can go. If you understood from history that Dave and Sue would rather not comment, don't push them out of their comfort zone unless their input is vital for a decision. The issue to be addressed from a trust viewpoint is why Dave and Sue don't want to be heard at this point and how that can be remedied.

Work to intervene when cliques become too powerful or exclusive. Sometimes it is necessary to move some people to another activity to break up a dysfunctional group. Helping people or groups see the big picture is a way to build the necessary trust to improve morale, create motivation, and help peer pressure be a positive force for the organization.

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Situational Transparency - By Robert Whipple

About the Author: Robert Whipple

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Robert Whipple is CEO of Leadergrow Incorporated, an organization dedicated to development of leaders. He has spoken on leadership topics and the development of trust in numerous venues across the country. He is author of three leadership books: The Trust Factor: Advanced Leadership for Professionals, Understanding E-Body Language: Building Trust Online, and Leading with Trust is Like Sailing Downwind. His ability to communicate pragmatic approaches to building Trust in an entertaining and motivational format has won him top ranking wherever he speaks. Audiences relate to his material enthusiastically because it is simple, yet profound. His work has earned him the popular title of The TRUST Ambassador. Mr. Whipple has been published in several Leadership and Training journals including Leadership Excellence Magazine and T+D Training + Development Journal. He is a frequent contributor to The Rochester Business Journal. He has been named one of the top 50 thought leaders on the topic of leadership development by Leadership Excellence Magazine and one of the top 100 Thought Leaders on Trustworthy Business Practices by Trust Across America. Mr. Whipple has a BSME, MSChE, MBA and is a Certified Professional in Learning and Performance (CPLP). Contact at www.leadergrow.com or 585-392-7763
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E-Mail Tip #32 - Peer Pressure in E-Mail

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