Safety for Truth Speaking

Create a psychologically safe environment for people to speak their truth and design processes where that truth speaking actually influences decisions. This is how I would describe my role as a facilitator, said Nick Preston, "Ordinary Meetings Don't Interest Me"

Why Truth Speaking Is So Important

The number one human desire is to be taken seriously.

When you dismiss, belittle, talk over, talk down, ignore, or debate a person’s point of view without first making a genuine effort to see and understand, you cannot expect good results.

Everyone- especially in group settings - wants to feel heard. When people experience being genuinely listened to, half of the conflict disappears immediately. Why? Because their first desire, to be acknowledged and taken seriously, has been met.

As a facilitator, your role is to create an environment where every idea and every viewpoint is respected. Where people feel seen and heard. This is not about agreement—it’s about acknowledgment.

The Facilitator’s Role in Truth Speaking

Honesty and truth speaking start with the facilitator. The group takes its cue from you.

If you demonstrate curiosity, neutrality, and respect for every contribution, the group will mirror those behaviors. This dynamic then extends outward—to the sponsor, the leaders in the room, and eventually to the broader organizational culture.

Truth speaking is not just about allowing voices; it’s about building a culture of listening.

Is Truth Speaking Able to Reduce Risk?

The short answer: yes - if the environment is right.

When a culture of truth speaking exists, organizations benefit from:

• Early identification of risks – issues surface before they escalate.

• More realistic assumptions – fewer blind spots in strategy or planning.

• Better problem-solving – groups design solutions with deeper awareness.

But without that environment, facilitation can become hollow. If decisions are already made before the process, or if truth is not genuinely welcomed, then the organization risks building on naïve - both the nature of the problem and the solution. This increases, rather than reduces, the risk profile.

That’s why facilitation must never be used as a feel-good exercise. It must connect truth speaking to real influence in decision-making.

Final Thought

Truth speaking is not soft. It is not optional.

It is the foundation of effective group work and sound decision-making.

A facilitator’s highest responsibility is to create safety for truth and to ensure that truth influences the outcomes that matter.

Only then can organizations unlock their best ideas, reduce risks, and move forward with confidence.