Saying the Quiet Parts Out Loud: Why Speaking Up at Work Is the Boldest Move in Challenger Leadership

We’ve all been there—stuck in a planning meeting, nodding along while a half-baked idea or
outdated strategy drifts across the table like last week’s leftover lunch. You’ve got a better
idea—maybe even the idea—but it stays locked behind your teeth.

Too risky.
Too political.
Too early in the quarter.

And just like that, the meeting ends. Silence wins. Again.
You head back to your corner of the office, frustrated. Because deep down, you know—nothing
changes if no one speaks up.

Assert Yourself: The Sticky Note That Changed Everything

At the company where I spent the majority of my career—20+ billion-dollar global operation—I
had a little yellow Post-it note on my office landline (remember those – the desk phones that
is?). Scrawled in red ink were two simple words:

“Assert yourself.”

Words spoken to me by the CEO not long after I joined the org. I wasn’t brought in to smile, nod,
and blend in. I was brought in to challenge the status quo—to say the quiet parts out loud.

When Maternity Leave Was Treated Like a Workplace Injury
One of the quiet parts?
Our maternity leave “policy.”

And by “policy,” I mean we didn’t have one.
If a woman had a baby, she was put on disability.
Like motherhood was some kind of occupational hazard.

HR wasn’t exactly overflowing with compassion—they were more of a compliance SWAT team.
Policies were carved in stone tablets, and if you wanted to treat employees like actual human
beings, you’d better be ready for a fight.

Lucky for us—I was.

The Challenger Showdown: Policy vs. People
Enter: one brilliant new hire. Smart. Hardworking. Oh, and announcing her pregnancy soon after
coming on board.

Her due date? A few weeks shy of her one-year anniversary with the company.

Which meant: no pay, no leave. Just “sorry,” and see you when (or if) you come back.

I tried everything. Pushed every lever. Made the case for paid leave. HR said no.

So, I said: “Fine. She’ll work from home the day after delivery.”
(Reminder: this was pre-covid. Remote work was still considered not working.)

HR lost it.
They told me I couldn’t.
I told them to watch me.

We went back and forth. They quoted policy. I quoted humanity.
They warned me about setting a precedent.
I told them that’s exactly what I was doing.

Spoiler Alert: We Created a Real Policy
In the end, she got her leave. She stayed. She thrived. She was loyal.

And eventually?
We built a real maternity policy.

We stopped treating people like liabilities and started seeing them as our greatest competitive
advantage. And surprise—employee engagement and workplace culture improved. Not soft
stuff. Bottom-line strategy.

This Is Challenger Leadership
Look—I didn’t go toe-to-toe with HR just to be a pain.
(Okay… maybe a little.)
But mostly, I did it because it was right. For her. For the team. For the future. For the
organization!

That’s what I mean when I talk about a challenger mindset.
It’s not about being loud for the sake of it.
It’s about being bold enough to say what needs to be said—especially when it’s hard.
– Ask the uncomfortable question
– Challenge the sacred cow (pun intended)
– Call out the outdated assumption
– Push for the better solution

That’s how real leaders lead.
That’s how workplace culture shifts.
That’s how innovation actually happens.

The Bottom Line: Speak Up, Shift Culture
Saying the quiet part out loud takes guts.
But it’s also how you earn respect, build trust, and lead meaningful change.
So, next time you’re biting your tongue in a meeting, ask yourself:
– What would happen if I just said it?
– What might shift?
– What might improve?
– What might finally move forward?
Go ahead—say the quiet part out loud.
And find out what kind of leader you really are.

Ready to Challenge What Is?
If you’re leading a team, growing a business, or transforming a culture, it’s time to stop playing
nice and start playing smart.

→ Book me to speak about challenger leadership and how to create real culture change.
→ Hire me to guide your leadership through team workshops or one-on-one leadership
guidance.

Because the future doesn’t belong to the loudest in the room.
It belongs to the bravest.