How To Speak Up — When You Don’t Want To | From TED Business

Navigating difficult workplace conversations requires moving past the initial fight, flight, or freeze response to engage with intention. Healthcare leader Sarah Crawford-Bohl introduces a "Compass" framework to guide these interactions: North represents the moral compass or doing the right thing, South signifies offering support, East focuses on empathy, and West encourages wonder through curiosity. Applying this model transforms conflict into opportunities for connection and growth, as demonstrated when addressing professional feedback. When mistakes occur, the QORC method—Quick, Open, Responsibility, and Commit—provides a structured approach to accountability. By prioritizing these principles, individuals can overcome the fear of speaking up, foster team morale, and ensure their voices contribute to meaningful change rather than silence.