It’s over 3 years since I took the Crucial Conversations education from the training company VitalSmarts (nowadays Crucial Leaning). According to their study, 65 percent of the participants said they stayed silent at work, even though it made them feel inauthentic. You can see why this is detrimental; not only are leaders missing out on the ideas, viewpoints and diversity their employees bring to the table, but the employees also feel like they can't be themselves.

Leaders and CEOs are also on an island as no-one dares to tell them what they really think. What they need is someone who can challenge them, and say, “You said this or that and you never followed through with it.” One of the most detrimental effects of workplace insecurity is when people don't speak up because they fear the outcomes: embarrassment, ridicule, being wrong, or being dismissed both literally and figuratively. And one of the roles of a coach is to hold people accountable for their words and actions. Contact me via e-mail to arrange a meeting the next time you find yourself afraid to speak up.