Have you ever walked away from a meeting thinking, “Why didn’t I just say it?”
I have. And so have most of the leaders I work with.
In my recent webinar on Dangerous Dialogue, we explored the hidden fears that stop people from speaking up, and one thing kept coming up: power.
Authority, rank, and hierarchy shape every conversation.
The junior team member who nods instead of sharing their idea.
The manager who disagrees silently because the room is leaning toward consensus.
The seasoned leader who hesitates before giving feedback upwards.
It’s easy to assume that if we feel comfortable speaking up, others do too. But it doesn’t work like that. Power shifts the air in the room. Authority changes the stakes. And just because you’d welcome a challenge doesn’t mean others believe it’s safe to give you one.
Sarah's Story
Take Sarah, a leader I coached not long ago. Her team was ranked lowest on engagement in the business. Meetings were painfully quiet. No one contributed, no one challenged, and no one brought forward ideas. In fact, they put forward zero change initiatives while every other team was actively engaged.
But once Sarah began deliberately creating space by inviting quieter voices, appreciating contributions, validating courage - everything changed. Within six months her team had gone from last place to the most engaged team in the company. They put forward 95% of all the change initiatives across the entire organisation.
That’s the power of shifting the conversational culture.
But it’s not just the people in our teams; even the most experienced leaders have moments where they hold their voice back.
And that’s why I created the Dangerous Dialogue Audit.
It’s not about “fixing” people - it’s about uncovering the invisible risks our brains sense in conversation:
Am I worthy? (What if I say something stupid?)
Do I fit in? (What if I upset the group?)
Am I safe? (What if I challenge power and no one has my back?)
Do I matter? (What if no one cares what I share?)
The Audit helps you map your unique Voice Profile, see where your voice is fluent, guarded, or still growing, and find practical ways to stretch your courage.
Because this isn’t about being louder. It’s about being braver, clearer, and more connected - especially when the power dynamics in the room make it feel risky.
If you’re a leader, I’d encourage you to do two things:
Try it yourself - you may be surprised where your own voice gets stuck.
Share it with your team - because until we see the invisible risks, we can’t shift them.
When leaders are aware of their impact, they make space for voices that might otherwise stay silent. And when every voice is heard, organisations deliver.