Addressing harmful behavior in the workplace is essential for SMB leaders who want to maintain trust, accountability and psychological safety. When these moments arise, leaders often have two main ways to respond: calling out the harmful behavior or calling it in.
In this guide, you’ll discover how calling in vs. calling out works in practice and the importance of using the right approach. You’ll also learn how to call people in with empathy and impact and model call-in culture as a leader.
Key takeaways from calling in vs. calling out
Calling in is a private, compassionate conversation to foster reflection and growth. Calling out is a public approach aimed at accountability and stopping harmful behavior.
For managers and leaders, knowing when to call in versus call out can support team well-being, maintain trust in the workplace and prevent issues from escalating.
An organizational call-in culture creates a workplace environment in which feedback drives learning and reflection, and psychological safety is a priority.
Tools like Pipedrive make it easier to track coaching sessions, record feedback and visualize progress, helping leaders embed a call-in culture across their teams. Try it today with a 14-day free trial.
What does “calling in vs. calling out” mean?
“Calling in” and “calling out” are two different ways of addressing harmful or problematic behavior.
Both serve the purpose of addressing harm and promoting accountability. The difference lies in the method of engagement:
Calling in means inviting someone into a respectful, private conversation to help them reflect, learn and change. With roots in anti-racism and social justice movements, it’s a practice grounded in compassion and shared understanding,
Calling out involves publicly naming and challenging harmful behavior in real time. It’s about promoting accountability and protecting others from immediate harm or repeated patterns of behavior.
As professor and activist Loretta J. Ross explains in her TED Talk
Calling in assumes the person may not have intended harm and creates space for growth through dialogue. Calling out is a direct response to harmful behavior and signals that certain actions or words are unacceptable.
The table below shows some calling-in vs. calling-out examples in a workplace setting:
Calling in | Calling out |
Talking privately with a coworker after an insensitive comment | Addressing a discriminatory remark in a meeting |
Inviting reflection from a team member in a 1:1 chat | Speaking up immediately in a team discussion |
Sending a private message to discuss harmful language in a social media post. | Posting a response to harmful language used on a public channel |
Calling in and calling out both have a role to play in addressing harmful behavior and fostering accountability at work. Let’s consider why it’s so important for leaders to know when to use each approach.
Why calling in vs. calling out matters in the workplace
Knowing when to call someone in or call them out helps leaders address harm effectively while creating a supportive, accountable and respectful workplace culture.
This skill is especially important in small-to-medium businesses (SMBs), where managers often serve as the first line of defense when bias, microaggressions or other harmful behaviors arise.
Leaders who hold influence in their teams also play a critical role in addressing bias, challenging inequities and protecting human rights within the workplace.
In practice, this means responding thoughtfully to moments such as:
A colleague repeatedly interrupting or dismissing others’ contributions
Posts or messages on internal platforms that contain exclusionary language
Biased or harmful remarks in team discussions
Handling these moments with care – and knowing which approach to take – allows managers to maintain trust, prevent escalation and ensure team members feel safe and supported.
By contrast, ignoring even small instances of harm can erode employee engagement, damage team morale and lead to HR complaints.
By learning to navigate when to call in vs. call out, leaders can create an environment where team members feel protected and confident that managers will provide appropriate feedback.
Calling out vs. calling in: how to choose the right approach
The key to choosing whether to “in call” vs. “out call” is understanding the context of the situation you’re addressing.
How to know when to call in
You should call someone in when the situation involves a misunderstanding, an early-stage mistake or behavior that you can address privately.
For example, suppose a teammate uses a term that’s no longer considered inclusive (e.g., “blacklist” instead of “blocklist”). In that case, it may be more appropriate to address it with them privately afterward, rather than challenging them publicly in the moment.
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How to know when to call out vs. call in
Calling out becomes necessary when the situation involves repeated, harmful or public behavior that affects others’ safety or dignity.
For example, if a team member makes an explicit discriminatory remark in a group discussion, calling it out in the moment is more likely to stop harm and set a clear boundary than calling in.
Here’s a helpful checklist to help you assess whether to call in or call out. The more boxes you check, the more likely it is that calling in will be the most effective course of action.
Should I call in rather than call out? Decision checklist for managers
- The behavior seems unintentional or stems from a lack of awareness
- You have a trusting relationship with the person
- A private setting would promote understanding more than defensiveness
- The issue can be resolved through dialogue rather than discipline
- The person is open to feedback and growth
- The impact was limited or quickly contained
- The timing allows for reflection before public discussion
- You want to strengthen, not strain, the working relationship
Now that you know how to identify when to call someone in, let’s explore how to do that effectively.
How to call people in with empathy and impact
Calling someone in effectively requires intentional preparation, clear communication and thoughtful follow-up to ensure the conversation leads to understanding and growth.
By following these steps before, during and after the conversation, you can strengthen trust and promote an organizational culture of accountability without blame.
Before the conversation
If you’re getting ready to call someone in, taking the following steps can help you set the right tone for the conversation:
Reflect on your intention. Are you aiming to correct behavior, build understanding or strengthen the relationship? Choose a private, safe setting where the person feels respected and can engage without pressure or embarrassment.
Anticipate possible reactions. If you sense the other person may not respond well to being called in, consider how you’ll ensure the conversation remains calm and constructive.
Consider your timing. Avoid moments of high stress or public attention and ensure you can dedicate enough space for a meaningful dialogue.
Think about the location. Make sure you can have the conversation in a private space, where the other person can feel safe to participate without their colleagues being able to see or hear them.
Approaching the discussion with clarity, purpose and respect increases the likelihood of a positive outcome.
During the conversation
The calling-in conversation itself should center on empathic communication, meaning you’ll listen actively while providing clarity about the impact of the person’s words or actions.
Start with “I” statements that describe the effect of the behavior rather than labeling the person in any way.
For example:
“I noticed that comment in the meeting and wanted to understand your perspective because it might have come across differently than intended.”
Ask open-ended questions to invite reflection, listen actively and stay calm even if the other person becomes defensive.
For example:
- “How do you see that comment from your perspective? How do you think it might have landed with the team?”
- “What was your intention behind that remark? How could you express it more clearly next time?”
Keep the tone of the conversation supportive and collaborative, and remember that the goal is shared understanding and positive change.
Sample scripts for starting the conversation include:
- “I wanted to talk about something you said earlier. Can we unpack how it might have come across?”
- “Can I share some feedback about what happened in the meeting? I’d like us to find a way forward together.”
Throughout the conversation, focus on behavior and impact, rather than intent. Above all, avoid turning the conversation into a debate or accusation.
After the conversation
The follow-up after a calling-in moment solidifies the learning and maintains trust.
At the end of the conversation, acknowledge the other person’s engagement and express your intention to keep communication open. Let them know how you plan to follow up, whether that’s in a future 1:1 conversation or a check-in via email.
Continue to check in over time, remembering to celebrate the progress the other person makes and congratulate them on the growth they demonstrate.
Immediately after a call-in moment, take some time to reflect on how the conversation went. Consider what went well, what you might do differently next time and whether the other person might need additional support.
Pipedrive in action: All-in-one HR platform HoorayHR uses Pipedrive’s auotmations and pipelines to create a consistent process and ensure timely follow-up. These features, whether used for internal call-in culture or external sales follow-ups, can transform good intentions into consistent processes.
For HoorayHR, the consistency resulted in saving more than 60% on time following up with leads and a 50% decrease in time to close deals.
By approaching call-in conversations with care and following up consistently, you can create a corporate culture where feedback is constructive and teams feel safe engaging in open dialogue with their managers.
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How to practice and model call-in culture as a leader
A strong call-in culture thrives when leaders consistently demonstrate how to address harmful behavior while preserving trust and well-being.
In a call-in culture, team members feel protected from harm but also safe to learn and engage in productive conversations.
Modeling the behavior of call-in culture requires a management style that pairs accountability with empathy. Modeling means:
Following through with care, not conflict. Focus on constructive dialogue, rather than shaming or labeling someone a “bad person”. Offer calm, measured responses that prioritize understanding and resolution.
Focusing on accountability instead of accusation. Without casting blame, encourage those you are calling in to take responsibility for their actions. Emphasize the importance of growth over punishment to avoid creating a “cancel culture” within the team.
Build trust through curiosity and feedback. Listen actively, ask open questions and provide specific, timely feedback tied to real impact. These management behaviors directly support the growth and development that a strong call-in culture fosters.
Rewarding vulnerability and growth. When team members show they can reflect on feedback and adjust their behaviors, celebrate their progress. This positive reinforcement will encourage them to continue on their path of learning.
Embedding call-in culture in the company’s core values. When the principles of call-in culture are part of an organization’s formal standards, they guide everyday behavior and ensure these practices become an integral part of how the team operates.
By putting these principles into practice, leaders create an environment where feedback, reflection and learning are the norm. As a result, everyone feels safer and more supported.
How Pipedrive helps turn good intentions into consistent leadership
Building a call-in culture requires a consistent and inclusive approach to leadership.
Here are four practical leadership management habits you can develop and maintain using Pipedrive’s CRM.
1. Follow through after feedback
After a call-in moment, you can schedule a follow-up directly in Pipedrive. Log the conversation as a note, then create a custom activity to revisit progress a few weeks later.
Using Pipedrive to schedule check-ins and offer continued support helps reinforce feedback as an ongoing dialogue rather than a one-time correction.
2. Track team progress and growth
Pipedrive can also help you visualize how your team is progressing through feedback or development goals. Use custom fields or a pipeline view to track key milestones such as completed training sessions, coaching outcomes or behavior changes over time.
Tracking progress in this way shows the measurable impact of your efforts to build a thoughtful and inclusive call-in culture.
3. Foster transparent accountability
Shared notes and activity history in Pipedrive keep key context accessible for both managers and team members, creating a shared ownership of progress.
Everyone can review past discussions, see completed actions and understand upcoming priorities.
By documenting actions openly in this way, you can make accountability feel like a collaborative process rather than a punitive one.
4. Recognize effort and improvement
Set reminders in Pipedrive to acknowledge positive change, either with mention tags or date-triggered automations to celebrate achievements.
Taking a moment to recognize someone’s effort after a follow-up helps strengthen a culture of development and continuous learning.
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Final thoughts
Knowing when to call someone in or out can transform your team culture and foster trust, accountability and psychological safety.
By combining clear frameworks with empathic communication and consistent follow-up, leaders can address harm thoughtfully while promoting growth.
Using Pipedrive to track feedback, follow-ups and progress helps leaders reinforce positive behaviors, support individual development and nurture a collaborative team environment.
Start building an open, accountable workplace where everyone can learn and thrive with Pipedrive. Begin your free 14-day trial today.
