Corporations like to have an internal culture and will put on a show to keep up appearances, but deep down what every manager, from the lowest level to the SVPs, what they want is to not look bad and by association, for their team to not look bad. Speaking up attracts unwanted attention across the company and that makes 'waves'.
As representatives of the business, there are lots of 'tools' managers have at their disposal, but none of them will put the company in a worse position, so your best outcome is a situation where both the company and you win. In all other situations, assuming no external involvement, you will come off worse for speaking up.
For example, if you speak up against some sexist remarks made by a company SVP, the corp will put on a dog and pony show at best, and then you will be managed out for making waves.
If you really want to come out ahead, make sure you can do some serious damage to the company so you have some leverage. Naively speaking up with nothing else in your pocket is going to get you crushed like a cockroach or paraded around like a pet at all-hands and 'celebrated' while all the higher ups make sure that no real changes are made.
Corporations like to have an internal culture and will put on a show to keep up appearances, but deep down what every manager, from the lowest level to the SVPs, what they want is to not look bad and by association, for their team to not look bad. Speaking up attracts unwanted attention across the company and that makes 'waves'.
As representatives of the business, there are lots of 'tools' managers have at their disposal, but none of them will put the company in a worse position, so your best outcome is a situation where both the company and you win. In all other situations, assuming no external involvement, you will come off worse for speaking up.
For example, if you speak up against some sexist remarks made by a company SVP, the corp will put on a dog and pony show at best, and then you will be managed out for making waves.
If you really want to come out ahead, make sure you can do some serious damage to the company so you have some leverage. Naively speaking up with nothing else in your pocket is going to get you crushed like a cockroach or paraded around like a pet at all-hands and 'celebrated' while all the higher ups make sure that no real changes are made.