It can feel risky or even futile to share certain concerns with your manager. Perhaps they’re about a business policy or process that your boss is wedded to, or maybe the problem is your manager’s behavior or performance. Too often, silence prevails because no one on the team wants to speak up. But if you and your coworkers band together, you may be able to solve the problem. Try to bring up the issue in a weekly team meeting. If getting everyone in the same room at the same time proves impossible, your team members can try to schedule one-on-one meetings with the boss instead. And if that doesn’t work, consider approaching a skip-level boss together. Be sure to use “we” language in each of these conversations. There’s strength in numbers, and you’ll be less likely to be written off as a disgruntled employee if people see that you’re raising a systemic issue.
Adapted from "When It's Tough to Speak Up, Get Help from Your Coworkers," by James R. Detert and Ethan R. Burris
