When Something Is Not Right: The Value of Silence

Employees facing destructive leader behavior or evidence of unethical or illegal action often remain silent, and such silence has been argued to be problematic. We argue that the management literature has a limited and biased view of silence, and contend that it can have value for employees and the...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Academy of Management perspectives 2019-08, Vol.33 (3), p.323-333
Main Authors: Stouten, Jeroen, Tripp, Thomas M., Bies, Robert J., De Cremer, David
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bias
Employees
Ethics
Leadership
Management
Organizations
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Summary:Employees facing destructive leader behavior or evidence of unethical or illegal action often remain silent, and such silence has been argued to be problematic. We argue that the management literature has a limited and biased view of silence, and contend that it can have value for employees and the organization. We discuss the functional value of silence in organizations and how it can be a strategic response to destructive and unethical leaders. Indeed, we argue that both voice and silence have functional value. Drawing on the see-judge-act model, we describe why and when employees become silent or choose to "break the silence," and we explain that both silence and voice have the ability to confront or resist destructive leadership.
ISSN:1558-9080
1943-4529
DOI:10.5465/amp.2017.0003