speak up

why is it difficult to speak up? why is it difficult to be assertive? Why do we consider Indians to be safe player who worry a lot about maintaining and upkeeping of relationship and mostly fearig the consequences that may have a negative impact on their relationship according to their point of view. It is a perception that is negative. It is the perception that asking questions is bad. It is the belief system that puts heiarchy as supreme and forces an assumption that people senior have to be respected and listened to despite their ideas.
I am only asking you to question the ideas if that donot make sense to you. Do not question the originator of the idea, he is beyond your circle of influence. The action and the questions are in your circle of influence. Your thought process and articulation strategy is exclusive to you. No one can replicate it. You can develop it or demolish it. It's your discretion.
Your conviction should give you courage. Your courage should overcome your fear. Your fear will provoke you. Its okay to anticipate and be nervous but its not okay to be anxious and allow fear to let worry in. Fear can be a constructive force or it can divert your focus and let you down. Every actor and presenter has fear before he hits stage but once on stage he channels his energy to construct a performance and magic on stage. The source of that energy is fear. But we only get awed by the output that is on stage and forget the ingredients that constitute it. Ask any stage performer and you will only hear butterflies before he hits stage.
Can you question what stopped you from acting in a particular way in any incident where you felt guilty later wondering if only you had spoken up? What stops you to speak? What stops you from breaking the status quo? What forces you to flow in the comfort zone? Why do you want to be in the good books of all? Why should everyone like you?
What is the cost of not speaking up? What is the benefit of speaking up? Is there a loss if you sit through a situation? Are you causing embarrassment to self and others by speaking up or sitting quite? Should you always speak your mind or do you have a discretion about when is the right time depending on situation and personalities involved?
Do you worry to death about impact of speaking up? Do you know that silence can also have a powerful impact? Why do you allow silence to dominate your communication environment? You can perfect a language but it only influence the degree of impact? The actual impact is made by the content. The way content is articulated and asserted only effects the degree of impact. The actual impact is made by speak up. When that happens, people take notice, you create visibility and people realize that you mean business.
The game is simple. Its more to do with attitude than skills or knowledge. Skills can be developed, knowledge can be acquired but attitude can alone enforce change. You decide if you want to change. Once decided on action items you can play the game. In this game either you strengthen your strong points further or take a shot at your weakness and follow through. You identify the change and you implement the change.