What do you do when you’ve been disrespected on the job,
disagree with your boss, or feel like you’re wasting your time and talents on
the job?
Should you speak up and risk rocking the boat or stay silent
and maintain the status quo?
Both options can be a valid response, depending on the
circumstances. The trick is understanding your situation and knowing what’s
best for you and your career.
Take the following factors into consideration.
Unethical practices. If you believe that your company or
manager are engaged in unethical or immoral behavior you likely will want to speak
up. However, be careful to avoid accusations that might inflame the situation. You
can begin conversations with “It seems to me that …” or “It appears we …” but
it’s probably better to bring the discussion to your Human Resources
department, rather than with your boss (particularly if you believe he or she
is knowingly involved in unethical behavior).
A strong emotional response. If the situation is provoking
intense feelings, such as anger or frustration, it will be helpful to bring
this up. However, it’s how you bring
this up that is important. In the midst of intense reactions, it can be best to
remain silent and wait until you feel more in control of your words. Rather
than defuse a situation or clarify a misunderstanding, responding in anger can
make things worse, delaying or preventing a positive resolution.
Disagreements on the job. If you believe that your skills
are not being used properly or you disagree on the direction of a project that
is an indication that you’ll want to engage your manager or coworker in a conversation.
This is not a time to be haughty or rude but to clearly lay out the reasons
behind your disagreement and seek to bring understanding to the situation.
It’s often easier to remain silent on the job or to respond
in anger to a situation but it’s important to your career development to deepen
your skills at resolving conflicts and knowing when and how to communicate effectively.
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