A leader in the health industry recalled an incident from 40 years ago that still haunted him. In the early stages of his career he decided he had to speak up about malpractice he had witnessed. He remembered the experience very clearly: “I was hauled before the District Medical Officer… there’s me at 21 and him fifty-odd: ‘Young man, if you think you have any future in this career, you’ll desist from this [questioning] immediately.’ So I did desist.”
5 Questions to Ask Before You Call Out Someone Powerful
It requires political savvy as well as personal courage.
April 07, 2017
Summary.
It’s always tempting to think that when you have more power — maybe even just a little more – it will be easier to call out wrongdoing. But interviews with more than 60 business leaders shows that this feeling never goes away — even powerful people still think twice before speaking out. Those who do speak up weigh five interrelated questions: 1. How much do you believe in your own opinion? 2. Do you have a realistic grasp of the consequences of speaking up? 3. How will what you have to say affect the political games being played in the organization? 4. What are the social rules that govern how you speak up and how you are listened to? 5. What is the most skillful way of speaking up in order to be heard?
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New!
HBR Learning
Ethics at Work Course
Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor®. HBR Learning’s online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Ethics at Work. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies.
Avoid integrity traps in the workplace.