A lot of people have trouble finding their voice at work. Individuals that have people pleasing tendencies struggle to speak up because they don't want to appear mean or have issues with anxiety.
Recently I had a fellow programmer ask me how to address a situation that required the courage to speak up at work. It got me thinking about my own journey into finding my voice. Sadly it took me getting to the point of feeling burned out and completely undervalued to finally have the courage to speak up.
It really was a turning point for me in my career. I realized that I could no longer care if I failed, or had the wrong solution. I was going to speak up and have my voice heard.
It started out a little rough but it has certainly gotten easier over time. I was very much out of my comfort zone when I started (if I'm being honest there are still times when it's hard). I struggled to articulate myself and it came across as rash and unrefined. I started researching respectful ways of communication. I didn't have to be mean, I could be firm and direct yet still kind.
I found more often then not my questions and ideas were well received and did make a difference to the processes we were deciding on. I have several strategies that helped me to articulate better and come up with more value add as I spoke up. I hope that some of these can help you in your own journey.
Don't be afraid to disagree
It's better to speak up than to be afraid of offending other people. As long as you are not actively calling someone out in a cruel way, it’s really important to speak up. If you don't agree, have a better alternative, or even feel like there could be a better path let people know. Diverse opinions are what makes products great because audiences are so diverse.
Write down what you want to say
This one is huge. If you jot down what you want to say either before the meeting, or as the idea comes into your head it gives you a little bit of time to refine what you want to say. This can override nerves and also can help you to articulate your thoughts better.
Do Research Before hand
I can not stress this point enough. Always take notes about what you want to bring up in meetings. Do a little research before each meeting and write out a few bullet points for pros and cons. This allows you to sound well versed in the topic and have good points to speak from when asked questions. You don't need to have all of the answers but it will give you enough knowledge to speak to your topic intelligently and discuss if more research needs to be done.
Ask Why
Don't be afraid to ask people why they chose this design, library, pattern, etc. Asking can lead to great conversations and solutions. Sometimes people just do things a certain way because that is how they have always done it, and this can be an opportunity to try a new way that could improve things.
Don't be afraid to ask "stupid" questions
Asking questions is so beneficial. Not only do you get clarification which is so important at work, but there are probably other people on your team with the same questions. I used to be so afraid to ask questions because I didn't want to appear stupid. I forced myself to get over that fear by asking the questions I had even when I was scared. It made a huge difference in my quality of work life.