fooey999

> You can improve "checked-out" engineers feelings by creating a way for them to express their concerns without worry that they'll be punished for it.

This is a utopia though. Every manager has their own manager right up to the company board. If you have to let people go, then how can you say you are not going to fire the guy who is the most checked out? If the person cannot deliver you cannot guarantee they won't lose their job.

It boils down to you really can't trust yourself to not be biased to those who are more open but more negative.

Simple, you cannot guarantee "they won't be punished".