5 Reasons You Should Speak Up (Even When You Think You Shouldn't) by Kevin Daum

The art of communication is not mastered by just knowing what to say and how to say it. 

A big factor is knowing when to say it.  So often people sit back and say nothing when something really needs to be said. It could be an idea, a suggestion, an observation, a criticism...but for some reason they don't want to speak up.

They may be afraid of hurting another person, looking mean or foolish, or opening a can of worms that will make a mess in everyone's lives.  Sometimes it seems like staying silent is the wiser choice. But here are five reasons why despite the risk, standing up and saying your peace is best.

1. Silence is deemed approval. You may think that staying silent keeps you from being involved in any conflict, but quite the opposite. Silence is as much an active form of communication as talking. Anytime you are involved in a situation, people are aware of all the input and lack of it. If you disapprove and don't say anything it will not make you seem easy going. If the problem persists and you did nothing people may consider it as enabling and think the issue is as much your fault as the person who actually caused the problem. You may destroy trust and create resentment. People rarely thank you for withholding information down the line.

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