Does Your Opinion Matter in the Workplace?

I am an extremely opinionated person and in general it is very difficult for me to suppress my outspoken nature. However, I have learned (often the hard way) in life that my opinions (and the opinions of others) are not always welcome and are often flat out rejected in many situations, specifically in the workplace. There are times in life when speaking your mind and standing up for what’s right are completely warranted and imperative to influencing change and if your opinion is given in such a way that it is helpful and constructive rather than combative and whiney then it may be welcome and may possibly facilitate the  change you’re striving to achieve. 

However, more often than not, you will find in the “real world” and especially in the workplace that no one actually gives a shit about your opinion and that what you are trying to convey as important and valid may come across as complaining and challenging to the authoritative powers that be. There is a very fine line about what you can say and to whom and what you cannot say and the things that will ultimately land you in hot water with your boss. So, this begs the question does your opinion matter?

Here is the long and short of it in regard to issues at work! This is what I have found to be true (and I am not referring to a specific event or place of business), if you see an area where something could be greatly improved such as the way a process is performed or a more efficient way to complete a task then usually you can make a suggestion in a respectful way to your superiors and it will typically be met with approval and in some cases praise because the fact is that businesses are always looking for more efficient, cost effective ways to do things. They will most certainly approve of your ideas if they can save the company money or better yet, make your supervisors or directors look good. THOSE are the times when your voice and opinions should be heard and can be most useful. 

If, on the other hand, you are having an inter-office squabble with your coworker(s) and it can’t be resolved amongst yourselves (which IS the expectation) and you take your personal grievance to your supervisor or in a true act of defiance and need to be heard you overstep your boss and go directly to Human Resources you will most definitely be met with disapproval, anger, resentment, and ultimately you will carve out a name for yourself in your department or field as a complainer, whiner, fire starter, and/or trouble maker and your voice will not be heard. In a worst case scenario you may be on the chopping block for pissing off the wrong people. And if you think I’m kidding let me give you some insight. Your bosses do NOT, under any cirrcumstances want to hear you bitch, moan, and complain about anything YOU should be able to resolve yourself within your immediate peer group. It’s the truth and as much as it sucks, this is a fact. You will be ostracized within your immediate circle for being the squeaky wheel and often times your bosses will take your issues to mean that you are unhappy and eventually you will be viewed as expendable. This is the ugly truth.

There is always an exception to the rule and if you are among the rare and lucky ones that have a boss who is available and willing to assist in resolving inter-office issues or one who welcomes resolving conflict or listening to your “ideas” about “how things should be” then you have found a unicorn and you may want to consider becoming a lifer for that company because you will NOT find that anywhere these days. Here’s the other ugly truth, most organizations these days view ALL employees as expendable (unless you have a specific skill set that very few people posess). There is always someone out there who is hungry, who is willing to work for less, and who will be “grateful” for their job. 

None of this is to say that you are not skilled, valuable, or even an asset to any organization, No. In fact what it really is is that right now with the economy the way that it is, the extreme lack of available jobs in any given field or industry, and the excessive number of college students looking for jobs as well as the currently unemployed, there isn’t a reason that you are special anymore because ultimately there will always be someone else ready to fill your spot should it not work out. So these days the old adage “the squeaky wheel gets the grease” is not true. The squeaky wheel gets the boot and a freshly greased, cheaper version of a wheel will be brought in to replace it. Lovely right?

So, while our opinions are valid and I personally feel that they should be heard, there is a time and place for whatever our brains deem necessary to say and if you know how to craft your words in order to manipulate the outcome of a potentially disastrous situation then you have a fighting chance of being heard and coming out on top. So, in summation choose your words wisely and remember that not every idea or thought you have is a gem and sometimes those thoughts need to be kept to yourself. Pick your battles (and wars) and realize that there is always a way to get what you want, but you have to know the correct way to go about it.