Tips for speaking
truth to power
- Set a meeting with the person to discuss work-related issues.
- Don’t go to the meeting angry.
- Find common ground. Tell the person: “I want to contribute to our organization’s mission and to help the department be successful.”
- Identify the challenging issues. Provide specifics without judging or assigning blame.
- Explain how a change would resolve a problem or improve results, for example: improve efficiency, reduce mistakes, reduce costs or benefit customers.
- Share how to best utilize your skills and experience.
- Thank the person for listening. Suggest a follow-up to continue the discussion and/or to track progress related to suggested changes.
- Summarize the key points of the discussion in an e-mail.
- Don’t expect instant change.
Gaining ground
Speaking truth to power
A discussion with Kevin Herring
AWARE: How did you begin thinking about the importance of speaking up to a boss?
HERRING: I was talking with a friend about a boss who didn’t "get it" and who acted as if he knew it all. My good friend asked: "So what are you doing to contribute to the problem?"
Are you kidding? What am I doing? This wasn't about me. It was about the other guy.
AWARE: What happened then?
HERRING: My friend pushed a little harder."What have you done to raise this issue with him?" he asked. "Is your contribution that you just let it continue and don't do anything to change the situation?"
He struck a nerve. He was right. Even though I've never been one to not speak up or to show much deference to position or status, by keeping my mouth shut and not raising the issue, I was part of the problem!
AWARE: Do you think you held on to your behavior because you were personally getting something out of it?
HERRING: Being a victim had its benefits. I could just complain and justify to myself how the executive was getting in the way and make him responsible for things not getting done. As the victim, I was off the hook.
AWARE: Following the interaction with your friend, did you have further insights?
HERRING: Yes. Regardless of who we are, or what titles show up on our business cards, we all need feedback. We do leaders a disfavor by not having the courage to express new ideas or by not challenging bad decisions. Leaders sometimes need to be told that they've messed up. And they do mess up. We all do.
Whether we're a formal leader with a title, or an individual contributor, we need to be informed and always learning. If we expect that to happen, we need to make it easy for people to say what's on their minds. Unless a leader constantly pushes for alternative views, relinquishes decision authority, or rewards people who challenge them, they will be hard-pressed to get useful feedback.
AWARE: Any other thoughts?
HERRING: Leaders also can learn a lot by encouraging employees to spread their wings and try out their own ideas. I learned this truth when an employee I thought I was helping turned to me and said, "Is it okay if we just try it our own way?" I was so deep into my instructions that his comment caught me off guard. It suddenly hit me that he wasn't asking for me to tell him how to do the job. He just wanted to bounce his ideas off me and get some feedback. I appreciated that he wasn't afraid to put the brakes on and get me to stop and listen. He had some great ideas and we both learned from the experience.
AWARE: Speaking truth to power can be difficult for some people.
HERRING: True. If we’re not the one in authority, we may feel we have less right to say anything to leaders. But if every time a leader speaks we simply clam up or become a yes-man or yes-woman, we aren't helping anyone. Leaders, including CEOs, need business-committed employees who are strong enough to discuss anything that needs discussing, regardless if it's positive or negative.
Challenging someone in the hierarchy doesn't have to be a career-ending move. Sure it's tough, but if it's done with a sincere intent to help—not to slam the person—he or she is more likely to want to listen. If we want to be helpful, we can't be stuck on winning the debate. We have to be willing to accept that the other person might not agree with us or may simply want to do something else.
Regardless of your position in the organization, think about the roles you play. What's your contribution? Are you a leader who digs a communication moat around yourself or do you make it easy for people to speak their minds? Do you raise the tough issues to make a positive difference or are you a victim?
AWARE: How do you advise people to begin to speak up?
HERRING: When we see others as "above" or "below" ourselves, we communicate that mindset to them through our words and actions. Instead, try looking at others as you would if you and they were working side by side doing hard physical labor for a local charity. Consider how you would speak to and interact with the other person under such circumstances.
The tough part about feedback – especially to one’s boss – is having the courage to speak up and give it. Preparing ahead for the conversation can help. Practice presenting, proposing, suggesting and challenging in a way that communicates a sincere desire to help. Anticipate objections and other reactions and prepare to respond positively. Set a goal of leaving the conversation with understanding and good feelings.
Kevin Herring is co-author of Practical Guide for Internal Consultants and is President of Ascent Management Consulting. Kevin can be contacted at kevinh@ascentmgt.com. Ascent Management Consulting,www.ascentmgt.com, specializes in workforce performance including boosting work unit performance in difficult circumstances.
