Framing Your Suggestions

The first step to effectively speaking up is doing pre-work. Think about who needs to hear your idea or opinion, and why would it matter to them. Speak with other team members, peers, or mentors who have been around longer to gain their perspective before bringing your idea to your boss (or anoth...

What you don’t realize is that when you’re early in your career or new to an organization, you are often a great source of information, as you can more easily identify inefficiencies that longtime employees overlook.

• We believe we are novices and don't want to rock the boat.
• We...

Not all ideas have to be shared at a formal meeting. Sometimes, a lunch with the team member or a coffee catch-up with your boss is a better option.

When considering the time and place to speak up, think about the following:

• What frame of mind is the other person in?
• A...

• To speak up and make it count, you need to do some pre-work. Think about who needs to hear your idea or opinion, and why would it matter to them. You could also speak to your peers to gain perspective.
• Next, think about the time and place to bring up your idea, as well as your tone. ...

Present your idea as an alternative, sharing the pros and cons, and connecting it back to the larger team goals.

An inclusive voice shows both confidence and humility.  Confidence portrays that your arguments and logic are backed by supporting rationale, evidence, facts, an...