When we are unsure, lack confidence or feel unsupported, put faith in your own ability to make a difference, it is amazing where the support will come from. If you see something that you know in your heart is not right, it is your duty, firstly, to those who are affected but mainly to yourself that you act on it.
The role of values in our lives cannot be understated. Reflecting upon past momentous decisions that you have made in your life, I propose that the reason you made such a decision was to move your life closer to your values or to ensure your integrity was not violated by having to do something in contradiction to your values. When we live a life congruent with our values it is then that we live a contented existence, anything else eventually creates internal turmoil.
There may be times where you are not the person who is standing up against an injustice, in these times recognised that being the person who backs them up can be as valuable. If you make a stand or support someone making a stand you are in effect, ensuring that the culture that you want to work in is maintained, or has the chance to be attained. When you or your team is asked to do something that is contrary to the values of the team, banding together and uniting against a common enemy can improve the culture. If on the other hand, if no one chooses to stand up, this can, in the long run, break the fibre that is holding the culture together.
Often it is hard to make a stand, trust me I have done it and have the mental scars to prove it but at times you have little choice if you want to remain aligned to your values. I have stood up to a narcissistic bully in the workplace and called out their behaviour to my personal and professional detriment. People supported me through that time, and I will be eternally grateful for that. In the end, not only did my actions call out the toxic culture that had been considered acceptable, it gave other employees the courage to stand up for themselves and get out of the situation.
Would I encourage others to take the course of action I did? – No.
Would I suggest that it will not have a detrimental outcome in all aspects of your life? – No.
Would I support someone who made the decision to stand up for injustice fully cognisant of the potential repercussions? – Yes.
Would I do the same thing again? – HELL YES!!
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