Encouraging voice

Large group reaching their hands toward the center
6/27/2013

Encouraging people to voice their concerns is a key value of healthy organizations. Over 50 years ago, economist Albert Hirschman theorized that people have two strategies for dealing with serious organizational problems —“exit” and “voice”. “Exit” is voting with your feet and taking your skills and energy elsewhere. “Voice” is staying put and speaking up for reform.

Hirschman, a contemporary of Milton Friedman, critiqued Friedman's bias for "exit" over "voice". Hirschman argued that ‘exit’ is passive and leaves the underperforming organization in place, whereas ‘voice’ is active and can stimulate creative responses in organizations. See Malcolm Gladwell's article “The gift of Doubt: Albert O. Hirschman and the power of failure” in The New Yorker, June 24, 2013.

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difficult behavior and harassment
work environment