1st Edition
Speaking Up in a Culture of Silence Changing the Organization Activity from Bullying and incivility to One of Listening and Productivity
We know we should speak up and question what is being taken as normal in our work cultures — to notice and call out bad behaviour and resist being silenced. This book is a guide to what it takes to do this in a way that doesn’t expose you to the countermeasures of people who do not like being questioned. What is explored through case studies and personal experience are ideas about how to resist being silenced at work where there are competing demands on your time and energy and where people have learnt to tolerate bad and uncivil behaviours just to get the work done. There are no magic solutions or calls for decisive action. Just some modest ideas about what can help you hold onto your voice and your thinking so that when the time is right, you can say something that just may help keep us all a bit safer.
Chapter 1 - Introduction
- Working in the gap
- The chapters
Chapter 2 – The tyranny of the bed state meeting
- Background
- Meeting one – everyday tyranny
- Another version – sharing the anxiety.
- Summary
Chapter 3 – They would have died anyway
- A request refused
- Does it have to be like this?
- If can’t say this, what can I say?
- Facts and gaps
- Summary
Chapter 4 – Not in my name
- Introduction
- Story – not in my name
- Same moment heard differently.
- Leadership of ignorance
- Closing comments
Chapter 5 – The origins of my talk and silence
- Introduction
- Stories of growing up
- Stories – of work
- Stories of home
- Conclusion
Chapter 6 – A guide to speaking up
- Introduction
- Section 1 - What to think about before you speak
- Section 2 – In the moment
- Compassion not empathy
- Think about the job
- Conclusion
Chapter 7 – Can we talk about our conversational culture?
- Introduction
- Making the case – part 1
- Making the case – part 2
- Making the case – part 3
- Conclusion
Chapter 8 – Walking off the map
- Introduction
- Section 1 – What to avoid
- Section 2 – a step by step guide
- Closing comments
Chapter 9 – Staying hopeful
- Introduction
- The way of the ordinary
- What is an active silence?
- How do I remain hopeful?
- How do I manage the dilemma of belonging?
- Think in terms of a dilemma
- 5 What if I listen to the conversation in my head?
- Do I want to talk about this issue right now?
- Do I care about this issue right now?
- 9 Is it safe enough?
- So, what is possible?
- 1. It doesn’t have to be perfect
- 2. Just be there
- 3. Not staking one’s authority on always being right
- 4. And finally forgive yourself
Biography
David Naylor, DProf, MA, is a director of a consultancy practice researching and developing practical interventions to mitigate the effects of bullying and incivility for individuals, teams and services. Previously, he worked as a senior consultant at The King’s Fund. He has a professional doctorate and a MA in organisational change. He trained in consultancy at the Tavistock, facilitation at the University of Surrey and has a diploma in psychodynamic counselling from Birkbeck.
