The old Field of Dreams movie slogan “If you build it, they will come” seems to have morphed into an organizational mantra of “If we say it, it must be true.”
I hear it espoused when talking about organizational culture and when organizations boast about a great work environment when I know the reality to be different. I hear bosses say that they welcome feedback and have an open-door policy but I privately hear their staff members are afraid to speak up. I see organizations proclaim their commitment to diversity and inclusion but continue to take actions that are the opposite of support.
Just because you put a nice saying in your lobby or orientation packets doesn’t make it so. The real evidence shows up in behavior, not platitudes.
