Speak Up, Strategically

Raising ideas or concerns with your manager is a great way to boost your profile and reputation—but only if your timing is right. How can you assess whether it’s the right time to speak up or if you should keep your thoughts to yourself for now? To ensure what you have to say will be valued, ask yourself three questions first.

• Is it relevant? If the idea or issue you want to raise isn’t related to your team’s current goals or agenda, put it on hold for now. You’ll have better luck getting your idea across once your team’s current priorities are complete.
• Is my boss in the headspace to be receptive? If they already have a lot on their plate, that’s a good sign that they may not respond well to new information.
• Am I ready to speak up? Before you give voice to your thoughts, be sure you’ve done your homework. Gather data to support your point, come up with a game plan for how you’re going to frame and present it, and prepare answers to any predictable questions that might come up.