Speaking Truth to Power: Saying It Now and Saying It Right

In 1986, Roger Boisjoly, a booster rocket engineer for NASA contractor Morton Thiokol, discovered disturbing data about the performance of the Space Shuttle Challenger’s O-rings in frigid weather. Six months before the Challenger explosion, he predicted a “catastrophe of the highest order” involving “loss of human life” in a memo to his managers.

On the morning of January 27, 1986, temperatures were forecast for 30 degrees Fahrenheit at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Boisjoly and his colleagues argued for hours that it was too dangerous to launch. Thiokol managers agreed and formally recommended a launch delay.

But NASA officials overruled that recommendation, a mistake that cost the lives of seven astronauts, including school teacher Christa McAuliffe. In an interview with NPR the year after the explosion, Boisjoly said, “I’m very angry that nobody listened. We were talking to the right people. We were talking to the people who had the power to stop that launch.” He died in 2012, widely hailed for his action by many but also excoriated by colleagues and managers in the aerospace industry. Unfortunately, speaking truth to power doesn’t ensure people will listen to you, but remaining silent ensures they will never hear you at all.

Whether it’s convincing an aging parent to put down the car keys, or going to Human Resources when witnessing hiring discrimination, or exercising our First Amendment right to peacefully protest, we all face moments where we must speak truth to power. It’s easier said than done, though. Safety, security, and self-interest often take precedence over doing what we know is right.?

So, what are things you should consider if you are in a leadership position and are either contemplating speaking truth to power or are actively trying to cultivate an environment where employees feel safe speaking truth to power??

• Say It Now! When things get crazy, leaders want someone who will speak up in the moment. Leaders who can’t make a decision or who are always asking everyone else to make it for them lose credibility and respect. Coming in after the fact exposes your inability to act boldly and decisively.?
• Say It Right! There are times when you have to speak up, but you also have to know how to speak up. Some of my best mentors were those who were bold and courageous enough to tell me gently about my faults. Who cares more about you? Someone who has the courage to point out something in a positive, caring way or the person who dresses you down in front of others or says nothing at all, allowing you to continue to operate from a place of ignorance?
• Examine your motives. Speaking up should be used sparingly, and comes from a place of building up, not tearing down. It is used for disaster prevention. Are you trying to help someone be the best person they can be? Are you trying to warn about a disaster that can be averted? Honestly examine your motives.

You can control your message, the timing and setting, and your motive. The rest is up for grabs. Be firm, be fair, but trust your gut.?

Mary J. Nestor believes that taking a risk to have the tough and tender conversations we'd rather avoid can transform our interactions, deepen relationships, reduce conflict, and build connections. With more than 25 years of experience in communications, executive coaching, management and leadership, she can offer practical advice on how to speak up in critical moments in business, relationships, and life. A second edition of her internationally distributed Amazon #1 bestseller, Say It Now! Say It Right! How to Handle Tough or Tender Conversations , was published in 2021 by Panoma Press. Visit maryjnestor.com to learn more or follow her on Facebook and Instagram .?

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