The Authentic Organization

Whether it’s to avoid conflict, preserve cultural bulwarks, protect power relations, or prevent disappointment, organizations often end up with a set of forbidden questions.

Some generic examples include: Why are things done this way? Who really makes these decisions? How much is enough? Who gets rewarded for what? How is status conferred? Who controls what information?

Responses to forbidden questions vary. The most important one is no response at all, either because they aren’t asked or because the organization simply lacks the procedures and venues for responding. Colleagues might respond with disapproval based upon the notion that the question reveals inappropriate assumptions that might be held by the questioner. The form that disapproval might take varies from organization to organization.

I would love to compile a list of real-life forbidden questions. Tell me: What are the forbidden questions in your organization?