7 Reasons You Should Always Speak Up at Work - The Muse

7 Reasons You Should Always Speak Up at Work - The Muse7 Reasons You Should Always Speak Up at WorkIn the professional world, opinions can be dangerous. Holding a controversial opinion can damage your reputation stating an opinion that contradicts your boss can leave you vulnerable voicing your opinion at the wrong time can make you appear foolish. The old adage attributed to Abraham Lincoln goes, Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt, and in the realm of business, that seems to be the truth.However, holding your opinions back can actually be more damaging than speaking them. In fact, opinions are what fuel momentum- all ideas, plans, and decisions begin and end with opinions, and if you consistently refrain from voicing yours, youll be doing both your employer and your career a disservice.1. Youll Appear mora ConfidentConfidence is never a badeanstalt thing to have. In a job interview, it can make you seem like a more appealing cand idate. In a deal negotiation, it can make you seem like more of an authority. In a meeting, it can make you look like a more important player. Speaking your opinion openly makes you appear more confident, and that effect actually increases depending on the degree of controversy associated with that opinion. For example, if you strongly disagree with everyone else in the room, youll appear more confident than if you go the safe route and openly agree. That confidence will build over time and help propel your career forward.2. You Never Know What Could ChangeA common reason for employees holding their opinions back is a belief that those opinions dont matter- that they wont be listened to, or they wont be acted upon. For example, if a worker is concerned with the effects of a new operations policy, he or she may refuse to voice his or her opinion under the impression that the policy wont change, regardless of circumstances. However, there is no guarantee that your opinion will be igno red or cast aside. If you speak up, your voice might make the difference, but if you hold back, youll never know what positive outcomes you could be missing out on.3. Youll Drive DiscussionEven if your opinion isnt taken into serious consideration, the fact that you brought it up can still drive a meaningful discussion. For example, if you offer a possible solution in a group meeting, the group may collectively decide that your idea isnt worth pursuing. However, even so, your opinion could generate some alternative lines of thinking and new perspectives that keep the conversation moving forward. Ultimately, discussion leads to results, and the more opinions there are to feed that discussion, the faster and more efficiently youll eventually get to those results.4. If Youre Wrong, Youll Learn WhyLets say you arent sure that your opinion is valid, or that you know for a fact that theres something off with it. This could be an indication that your opinion isnt grounded or isnt relevant, or it could just be your psyche messing with you. If you want to find out, you have to voice your opinion. If your instincts are right and there is something wrong about your opinion- such as a false assumption or incorrect data- the other people around you will let you know. You wont appear foolish instead, the situation becomes a genuine learning experience and you can walk away the wiser.5. You Could Be the Voice of the MajoritySometimes, workers are intimidated to voice their opinions because they feel like theyre the only ones who feel a certain way. For example, if youre sitting in a meeting listening to your boss talk about a new marketing approach and youre concerned that the approach will be ineffective, you might clam up if you feel like the only one of a dissenting mind. However, everybody else in the meeting could be thinking the very same thing. If you voice your opinion, you could give a voice to everyone else. You may have more support than you realize.6. The Risks A re LowMost of us have a tendency to imagine worst-case scenarios when faced with an intimidating prospect. When you imagine voicing your opinion, you could envision yourself getting fired or humiliated in front of the entire company. In reality, these possible outcomes are extremely rare- the risks of making your opinion known are much lower than they might seem. If your workplace culture is the type that would support firing an employee because he or she voiced an opinion, you probably shouldnt be working there anyway.7. Regretting Action Is Better Than Regretting InactionThis is a fundamental principle to remember in many areas of your life. Its possible that you voice your opinion and live to regret it, but its also possible that you keep your mouth shut and regret not saying anything. Ultimately, our regrets of inaction are much more severe than our regrets of action, meaning keeping your mouth shut is actually the more likely regret of the two. Take a chance- youll feel good ab out it, even if it doesnt turn out how you intended.Breaking past that intimidation barrier can be tough, especially if youre used to holding onto your opinions, but its vital that you practice regularly speaking your mind in your career. Be mindful of the appropriate times and places to speak your opinion, but never be afraid to let your true feelings be known.More From Inc.Mark Cuban How Youll Know Youre Ready to Launch7 Harsh Truths That Will Make You a Better Entrepreneur37 Secrets Only Successful People KnowPhoto of a microphone courtesy of Shutterstock.