The SPEAK UP Academy
UPShift Solutions
THe SPEAK UP ACADEMY For Leaders and Teams
Fear of speaking up is the Number One issue globally for people building their workplace culture.
Creating a respectful workplace culture that encourages open communication, values diverse perspectives and ensures protection against any backlash can help mitigate the fear of speaking up.
Common Reasons People Don’t SPEAK UP
- Protecting themselves from potential retaliation
- Fear of the consequences especially regarding difficult or embarrassing subjects
- Fear of the unknown – It’s too confronting to give up holding back
- Fear of bothering people by intruding or being pushy
- Fear of appearing ignorant – being wrong or not knowing enough
- Fear of failure or fear of success
- Fear of losing emotional control or someone becoming angry
- Fear of not getting it right – saying the wrong thing the wrong way
- Fear of hurting the relationship – discomfort with conflict
- Fear of losing their job if they tell the truth
- Fear of being inadequate – not being good enough.
- Being the brunt bearer of others’ behaviour and deliberately withholding information
- Maintaining the status quo – ‘the less they know the better.’
The challenge for team members is learning how to go beyond social discomfort, to trusting their workplace environment is safe – where people feel heard and are acknowledged positively.
The SPEAK UP ACADEMY focuses on building the confidence and skills to shift from feeling isolated as individuals to building a more inclusive and collaborative team environment.
THE 7 PILLARS OF SPEAKING UP
Dissolving disrespectful team cultural issues of hierarchy, competitiveness, lack of inclusivity and unsupportive behaviour … to promoting a comfortable social environment of openness, respect, trust and collaboration.
Shifting leaders and managers who are distant, unapproachable and display favouritism to being approachable and communicating with empathy, so team members feel comfortable and safe to speak up and express concerns.
Reducing the friction of strained relationships, conflict and the lack of cohesion in a toxic workplace environment to building flourishing supportive relationships so individuals feel a sense of connection and belonging,
Reducing conflict within Team Dynamics due to a lack of communication that hinders respectful conversations … to increasing trust, mutual respect, connection and a comfortable social environment.
Resolving limited communication channels and barriers to effective communication … and opening up clear and open lines of communication to promote understanding and collaboration.
Shifting from a lack of diversity and inclusion, where an unwelcoming or discriminatory environment hinders social comfort. … to valuing diversity, promoting inclusivity, and fostering social comfort where everyone feels accepted and respected.
Shifting from low levels of personal social comfort as a result of experiencing exclusion, harassment and negative social interactions in the past … to developing social skills to naturally feel at ease and comfortable speaking up in social situations.
