I said it how it is at work in a meeting - is it going to hurt my career ?

[rollerblineshades]

Long story short, in a meeting where the team was asked to give feedback, I was completely honest and gave feedback that actually, management was blaming the team for all the issues we are currently experiencing- when actually it's more complex than that and there are several factors playing into it.

I also said people don't always listen to others and just make their own assumptions and it can be frustrating.

A few members direct messaged me thanking me for bringing this all up- and one other team member actually stood up and agreed with me in the meeting.

Management were a bit taken aback, but didn't gaslight me and just said they've clearly done something wrong if that's how I feel.

I'm now worried I should have just shut up and left it.

Context matters. Were you objective and did you give clear examples with how things could have been differently and how it would lead to better results. Did you lead it all back to the outcomes that management are looking for. Basically constructive feedback. You can still follow up with your manager if meeting owner and ask for time to build on what you said. Try and frame it as ‘how can I help’. Offer solutions and ideas. Take ownership if you can to improve things. The situation could actually help your career.

In any case, it depends on the culture of your places. Do they truly appreciate feedback to get to the truth and improve things or do they pay lip service to feedback and really just want to suffer through problems.

I think you did very well actually. Unlike the time I lost my temper and told management they were responsible for our poor mental health and sickness levels by working us like dogs. Other things were said I shouldn't have said but I was on a role.
I think what you said was still professional.

No, you were right to speak up. Shame people couldn't have verbally backed you up at the meeting, but it may help others find the courage to speak up next time.

Some people will never speak up and wait for someone like you to come along. You are needed. Also, there's nothing more frustrating as a manager / Head than adult staff who won't say anything. As long as you were fair, constructive and honest, I think it will help your career.

3 things: 1. You clearly cared enough to raise this, so it was the right thing to do. 2. Good for you and shame on the spineless colleagues who complain and whine before meetings, say nothing during them and then complain and whine afterwards: how can that help change things? So 3: if nothing changes, nothing changes. You have tried to improve things, if it doesn’t work you can look at your next steps but I think well done you.

I think I was objective.

I said, for success you need XYZ ingredients. We don't currently have those ingredients in place.

Some of the presentations we saw today did not reflect that those are the ingredients for success and solely focused on the lack of knowledge of the team etc. this may be one part of the puzzle that we are all addressing, but it's not the complete picture. I said something along those lines.

Honestly, depends on management. I'm a blurt-it-out kind of person and some managers respect it and some never forgive you. I've regretted it in the short-term but in the longer-term, I'm fine with who I am - I'm not contributing to the bullshit.

One of them did. The others were a bit more junior, so I understand why they didn't.

IME the only time 'speaking up' damages a career is if it's done in an unprofessional way.

If you were rude, visibly angry or pushed blame onto someone then yes it might.

If you were polite, professional and constructive when you highlighted the issues then that often helps a career - you noticed what was wrong and had ideas to fix it.

It’s sort of hard to say how it was received without knowing specifics, personalities involved and tone used etc.
I think there’s ways to raise things like this in meetings in diplomatic ways without coming across as excessively combative. Good management should want open dialogue with their teams and encourage healthy exchange of views as long as the ultimate aim of everyone is to arrive at a solution and not just an exercise in passing the buck.
it might have been better to raise it privately first and say that you were hoping to discuss in more detail at the meeting. That way there is no risk of them feeling blindsided which can cause a defensive reaction.
in general what is management like? Are they collaborative or more dictatorial as that will probably drive how your input is perceived.

Well done OP.

My aim had been to raise it privately but then they put us all on the spot for not sharing our feedback enough etc, so I just went for it. I regret it a bit now.

It's hard to say without knowing the organisation. People on here can tell you whether we think you were reasonable or not, but that doesn't mean the employer couldn't then be unreasonable in response.

It is worth thinking though, what would've happened if you hadn't spoken? Sometimes it's a catch 22 and you're in a mess either way. People don't always have a good choice available to them.

Where do you sit in the organization in terms of seniority, OP? And how senior were the folks in the meeting?

I'm one of the more senior members of the team, just because I have more experience. I'm not the most senior member of the team though. There's another guy who has much more experience than me, but he'd left the meeting at that point. Our scary managers manager wasn't in the meeting. He would have had me for breakfast if I said that in front of him.

We were in a meeting with our direct manager and other heads of different departments on our managers level.

Good on you. I'm in a leadership role and would respect you for that. I would possibly suggest giving you more responsibility because you're honest and a critical thinker.

Hard to know what your management take on it will be as we don't know your pre existing relationship and reputation and we can't hear the tone you said it in or the detail or the other pressures your managers are under. If I say anything like this usually I regret it , just because it's a waste of energy and I feel exposed and that I've shared too much. Just done it this week again with an incoming manager.

Yeah that's how I feel, exposed ! Perhaps sensitive because I voiced my true feelings.

I thought they were going to gaslight me and was surprised they didn't.

They just seemed really disappointed and hurt, which also made me feel bad.

One of them did say ' I can see how the last few weeks may have come across like we are just blaming you guys for everything '. I appreciated that.

It depends. If you've been there a long time and aren't generally a moaner, then I think you'll be fine. I do know people that were honest in meetings regularly and got tarred with the 'trouble maker' brush (they did always give negative feedback rather than mixed)

I know the type, always negative, just killing the vibe and basically doesn't want to be there at all. I haven't done anything like this before and generally quite positive and trying really hard to succeed etc.

Good on you for having the guts to say it (assuming this is the actual issue). More people should be like you.

It sounds like it's fine. You know your job , you don't usually moan, you are positive and work hard. Carry on as usual and they might have spotted your potential as someone who understands complex issues.

This.

Depends on the culture of your workplace, your attitude and how you present day to day (are you hardworking, helpful and a go-to person?)

If you are well respected, get good performance reviews etc - they'll likely take your feedback very seriously.

I had a colleague who would give the most outrageous feedback in very public forums but he worked his arse off, he exhibited behaviours that made him part of the solution (very much a - I will demonstrate the behaviours I expect to see) and he flew through the organisation. Promotion year on year, pay rises etc. He would say something like - I think culture amongst senior managers need to change, we need to be more upfront about pay, there is a discrepancy between what senior managers say and what we perceive them to do.

• that's hard hitting feedback and there would be eyes wide open in shock listening to him saying it. But he was also right and he walked the walked. He ironed out these issues on his own team (who went on to be the best performing team in the department). He was respected by all outside our department and the key thing - he delivered. He consistently delivered everything.

Conversely we had another member of staff who also gave outrageous behaviour, again most of it accurate but she was like a dog with a bone, she wouldn't say her thing and then move on, she'd repeat herself, give multiple examples, and argue with any defence - it would make everyone cringe or by the end we'd all be bored. Then outside these meetings she was lazy, easily distracted, talked endlessly, would always have a clothes shop website up on her computer, always had a reason why a piece of work couldn't be done or delivered on time and moaned about stuff that honestly no sane person would have the time for. Very combative but in her mind 'telling it like it is'. She couldn't see how her words created reactions.

Now both of them were exceptionally smart. And the female in this had some amazing insights and really did have a strong knowledge on her subject matter. But in the end she was squeezed out as more and more managers just couldn't handle her.

It's not always that her feedback was wrong it was the way she went about delivering it and then how she came across after the fact. You can't spout that Senior Managers should be doing XYZ then go back to your desk and spend 30 mins looking at Mulberry handbags and expect to still have credibility.

On a personal level - she was far nicer, warmer, and funnier than the man in the example and we did feel bad for her when she handed her notice in because it wasn't working out. But it also wasnt at all a surprise. The frustrating thing for all around her was that she was so smart that it was blatantly obvious that Senior Managers didn't want to lose her, she really did it to herself.

So tomorrow be the embodiment of the change you want to see in your organisation. Demonstrate a high level of professionalism and dedication and your feedback will be viewed as helpful. Be the person who throws out the feedback while also has Facebook up on her computer and then misses a deadline and you'll be viewed more unkindly.

Unless of course you have an awful culture! In which case - you're better out anyway.

That sounds brilliant. I think management can only hear criticism if it is delivered in a very unemotional, calm, fact-based manner. It sounds like you did this. But I do despair of people who won't stick their necks over the parapet and get on by brown-nosing while benefiting from the honesty of colleagues who may be held back for being 'difficult' aka honest. So I hope that doesn't happen to you.