Harvard lecturer urges leaders to address workplace taboos and AI

Christina Wing, a senior lecturer at Harvard Business School and author of the book Unspeakable, contends that avoiding taboo subjects in the workplace isolates leaders and erodes trust. She identifies money, age, politics, and family responsibilities as critical areas where silence creates a sense of unsafety among employees, often driving them to quit rather than speak up. Wing distinguishes between acceptable privacy and harmful secrecy, noting that unaddressed taboos leave businesses vulnerable to misaligned strategies and disengagement. She links this need for open dialogue to the concept of psychological safety, a framework associated with her colleague Amy Edmondson.

Wing also addresses the growing impact of artificial intelligence, warning that managerial silence on the topic fuels negative speculation and anxiety. She advises leaders to be honest about how AI will change customer usage and internal processes, framing the narrative around evolving roles rather than potential layoffs. To mitigate fear, she recommends involving employees in identifying tasks AI can perform and discussing upskilling opportunities. Wing argues that the best companies prepare their workforce daily for these shifts, preventing the worst-case scenarios that often emerge from a lack of communication.

On the specific issue of compensation, Wing advocates for transparent pay bands where the range for each level is known to all, while individual salaries remain private between the employee and manager. She urges employees to discuss salary expectations early in the year, rather than waiting for year-end bonuses, to reduce friction and improve negotiation effectiveness. Citing her co-author and former manager Dan McGinn, Wing notes that early exposure to pay band discussions reduces discomfort when addressing compensation issues. She maintains that transparency in these areas is a form of kindness that helps align organizational goals with employee well-being.