Ways to Discuss Undiscussable Issues

Many groups have issues that are undiscussable. These may include poor performance, low trust, unwillingness to disagree with authority figures, or issues of race and diversity. The dilemma that people in these organizations face is that if they raise the issues, trust may deteriorate even more and participants may become defensive. Not raising these issues however, keeps the organization from making decisions based on all the information. Not talking about these issues also increases the likelihood that the organization is dealing with symptoms and not the real problems it faces.

In order to encourage getting undiscussable issues on the table consider the following suggestions:

1. State your reluctance and fear to name the issue but your hopes in doing so. State your hopes or intentions in a way that everyone has something to gain. For example, “While I am reluctant to bring this up because I sense it might not be a discussable issue for our team, I feel that to move forward together as a successful team we need to talk about it.”

2. Frame the issue in a neutral, non-blaming way.

3. Have all the participants write “undiscussable” cards without signing them. Then distribute the cards and have everyone read one card which is not their own.

4. Have participants pair up and talk about one thing they are thinking but not saying. Then ask the group how many people heard topics that they thought the group would benefit from hearing. Have the pairs strategize about how to bring up the issue to the group.

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