How do you stand up for yourself in the workplace?

6 comments

1. Large meeting, all directors and coordinators, I was the youngest. One coordinator raised her voice to complain that my department wasn’t delivering. I confronted her saying that my team wasn’t allowed access to her department. She said, yeah, I know, ok, but this will be solved soon and I’ll let you know, GIRL.

   Me, to a woman thrice her age: I am NOT a girl, I am a professional like everybody here and I demand respect. Special disappointment that this GIRL came from a woman who was once young.

   Many time I sucked it up, wasn’t given and didn’t demand proper credit, but this time she hit a soft spot. As she was the least liked person in the office, and the fact that I was known for being cordial,thar made the situation twice as satisfying, as her humiliation was complete.

2. I just speak my mind, but try to stay polite. Say stuff like

   “Just to offer some perspective here, …”

   “I think we need to consider one more important factor, which is…”

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   I guess I never really thought about it until now, but my strategy is basically to offer my opinion, but make it look like I want their input (and sometimes I do). In the end, my ideas come out on top because I just keep doing the “well, what about this?” and “I still think X needs to be a priority”. I do compromise sometimes to let others feel heard, but I’ll stick to the main things I need to get across and make sure they are included in the final result.

   I’ve become pretty well respected in my workplace using this approach and now when I tell people something is important, they don’t question it.

3. I try to, higher ups don’t really give a shit though.

4. Small example but an ex colleague once called me ‘miss’ in a team meeting. I HATE being called miss. She did it to other people as well but it gave me the ick. I’m in my 40s and had a senior management role just like she did. I just said, “I’m not a miss, I’m a Mrs, or a Dr.” She back pedalled and then in all our subsequent meetings she would go to call me miss and then quickly change haha

5. By establishing my limits early into my new job, so it doesn’t create false impression

6. By going to HR rofl