Sarah Crawford-Bohl

Silence.

It can be a needed moment of peace and contemplation.

But what happens when silence becomes a barrier?

A barrier that muffles the voice of truth, of advocacy, of change.

Speak up.

Advocate for yourself.

Stand up for what you believe in.

That's what they say, right?

Well, even though I know they're right, it's easier said than done.

I'm sure we can all think of a time when we faced a crossroads, perhaps the precipice of an uncomfortable conversation, when speaking up felt like the right, if not even essential path, but silence seemed safer.

I can vividly see and feel myself being in those moments, times when I stood red-faced, embarrassed or offended, frustrated or angry, with a sinking feeling in my stomach, unable to find my voice, and unsure if I had the courage, confidence, or will to face the difficult conversation before me.

Sound familiar?

We're not alone.

Research from VitalSmarts, a global leader in organizational performance and leadership, tells us people would rather quit their jobs than address a challenging situation.

In this post-pandemic time, with baby boomers retiring and a wave of quiet resignation upon us, the world seems to be working short-staffed.

I'm a nurse and have worked in healthcare leadership for a long time.

And I'm here to tell you, in this profession, we can't risk losing anyone, especially not for the reason of avoiding a challenging conversation.

In a world where we are experiencing increasingly rapid cycles of change, we can expect difficult conversations, particularly in the workplace, to happen more often than ever before.

Moments such as sharing feedback, identifying mistakes, or calling out disrespect.

They're not always easy, but often critical to the performance of both individuals and a team.