Changing Behavior, Whether in Life or the Workplace, is Difficult
I just read a post by Jasmin Stollhof who addresses the “speak up” culture that some organizations build into their whistleblowing policies. This is an important issue as it addresses workplace accountability and transparency, and fosters intra communication of problems before they get overwhelming.
Stollhof defines a speak up culture as “giving people an environment where open communication is genuinely encouraged. Employees feel safe raising concerns, sharing ideas, and giving feedback. They can question how things are done and offer a different opinion without losing trust or respect. That openness drives both personal growth and a stronger organization. Speaking up, in ethics and compliance terms, means everyone has a voice, and that voice gets heard, respected, and acted on. The result is an organization that is more ethical, more compliant, and harder to blindside.”
Why Does a Speak Up Culture Improve Workplace Ethics?
According to Stollhof, the speak up culture enhances transparency and accountability; supports diversity, equity and inclusion; enhances employee engagement; and builds continuous learning. I certainly agree but would go further. A speak up culture encourages would-be whistleblowers to come forward and report wrongdoing without fear of retaliation. In fact, I consider this to be the most important benefit of encouraging employees to speak up. Encouraging whistleblowing is a means to uphold ethical standards within organizations. Here is how it can be done.
Moral Conflict
Whistleblowing often presents a conflict between two moral values: fairness and loyalty. For instance, promoting an employee based solely on talent may conflict with loyalty to a long-standing but less skilled employee.
Organizational Culture
Creating a supportive organizational culture is crucial. Ethical leadership plays a significant role in fostering an environment where employees feel safe to report unethical behavior without fear of retaliation.
Consequences of Whistleblowing
The act of whistleblowing can lead to positive changes within an organization, helping to prevent misconduct and promote integrity.
In short, I advocate for a balanced approach that recognizes the complexities of whistleblowing while promoting ethical behavior in the workplace. In this way, a roadmap can be developed to guide employees in deciding whether to blow the whistle and, then, how to do it most effectively to promote change in the culture of the organization.
Barriers to Speaking Up
Organizational change may take time and through guidance from top management, effectuate change. The major problems seem to be that whistleblowers fear retaliation, such as being labeled as a troublemaker and not a team player. Moreover, they may believe nothing will change if they come forward.
I like to tell my students that “nothing changes if nothing changes.” This is a statement appropriate to changing one’s behavior in personal matters but can also be applied to the workplace.
Change can be hard, but it is often necessary for growth and improvement. The saying “nothing changes if nothing changes” reminds us that to see different results, we must take action. Without changing our habits or mindset, we can get stuck in the same situation. This idea encourages us to reflect on what we want to improve and how we can achieve it.
I love to look at famous quotes to guide my behavior. Here are a few that speak to me and guide my decision making. Let me know what you think.
Quotes: Nothing Changes if Nothing Changes
“Change is the only constant in life.” – Heraclitus
“Your life does not get better by chance, it gets better by change.” – Jim Rohn
“You can’t change your life until you change something you do daily.” – John C. Maxwell
“Change your thoughts and you change your world.” – Norman Vincent Peale
“We cannot become what we want by remaining what we are.” – Max DePree
Blog posted by Steven Mintz, PhD, professor emeritus Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, on July 1, 2026. Visit Steve’s website to find out more about his activities.