08/01/2026
Our monthly online professional development sessions at The Culture Space for senior managers always bring up some really thoughtful insights from our members.
Yesterday we explored the role that SMFs play in creating an environment where people feel safe enough to speak up and challenge. We also talked about how important it is to look beneath the surface when something goes wrong, rather than just reacting to the incident itself.
One member shared a great example. Their firm regularly holds town hall meetings. Each team had strong discussions and healthy challenge within their department but when it came to the town hall itself, everyone was quiet.
At first they assumed it was down to employees feeling a bit intimidated by the CEO, but they spoke with each team and realised that this wasn't true, instead, they simply hadn’t felt prepared enough to contribute.
So the firm changed its approach.
Now the agenda and some background context are shared in advance. Teams hold a short, facilitated session beforehand so employees can shape their thoughts and raise questions collectively. Those are then brought forward to the town hall.
At the next session, engagement increased significantly. Once the initial questions were asked, more people began to build on them. Leaders gained a clearer understanding of how their people really felt and employees felt heard rather than simply 'spoken to'.
As with most culture change, it’s rarely the sweeping changes that shifts this kind of dynamic, it’s the small, thoughtful actions taken consistently that make a real difference.
These kinds of practical, real-world conversations come up often in The Culture Space, where senior managers share what’s working (and what isn’t) in their organisations. If you’re an SMF, you’d be very welcome in the discussion.
