Challenging your boss can feel risky, but staying quiet can be just as costly. Knowing how to voice concerns effectively shows leadership, builds trust, and helps drive better outcomes for the team and the business.

Understand the Power Dynamic
It’s natural to hesitate—your boss influences your role, pay, and progression. But silence can lead to frustration, poor results, and missed opportunities. Recognise your value. You have more influence than you think.

Use Disagreement to Your Advantage
Strong leaders want honest feedback. When you speak up constructively, you show commitment to the bigger picture. Senior leaders can lose touch with the day-to-day. Your insights help close that gap—and that makes you valuable.

When and How to Raise Concerns
• Pick Your Moment: Don’t react in the heat of the moment. Bring it up in a one-to-one, where there’s space for a proper discussion.
• Tailor Your Approach: Some managers respect directness, others prefer a softer touch. Adapt your style to theirs.
• Lead with Curiosity: Ask, “Can I offer another perspective?” or “What’s behind this decision?” to invite a dialogue, not a standoff.

Focus on Solutions
Link your concerns to shared goals: team success, client satisfaction, or business outcomes. Suggest alternatives—a phased rollout, a trial run, or a minor adjustment—that show flexibility and collaboration.

Stay Calm Under Pressure
If your boss pushes back, stay composed. Emphasise your intent: “I’m raising this to support the team’s success.” If nothing changes, assess whether the issue is critical or something you can accept and move on.

Know When to Step Back
Not every fight is worth it. Influence has limits. If your boss won’t budge, respect the hierarchy, unless the issue is serious.

Choose your battles wisely.

Adapted from an article by Rebecca Knight, HBR April 2025