Open secrets are those which are known by a number of members in a team, yet no one is willing to bring this into wider recognition. This happens when an increasing number of frontline members come to know of something, but this sheer number leads to a bystander effect. This is the effect where each one expects the other to act, instead of themselves taking the lead. A diffusion in responsibility occurs, in sharp contrast to a situation where only a single person is in the know. A clear example of this is the scandal involving media tycoon Harvey Weinstein. This bystander effect takes place in organizations with a strong ‘passing the buck’ culture. So, managers need to get this conveyed to their employees that the business intelligence brought out by any level of employee is crucial, regarding any relevant aspect to the work.

Source:https://hbr.org/2019/01/why-open-secrets-exist-in-organizations

Uploaded Date:02.February 2019