Free Expression

If you have the FREE EXPRESSION motive, it means that you are energized by professional dynamics that are open, welcoming to communication and have strong psychological safety. You value hearing and being heard, even when your opinion goes against the grain. Especially vital to your wellbeing is a work environment that allows expression equally, regardless of rank or status in the organization. You don’t want to waste effort, time, or energy hiding who you are or what you think. Instead, you perform best when you and those around you can dialogue without facing negative consequences. You like an uninhibited, transparent, and open culture, based in mutual trust between colleagues (and leaders). You find candor validating and energizing, even when it lengthens processes in the short term. Either implicitly or explicitly, you believe that a group of people who listens to one another and engages a diverse array of ideas and voices shares power and creates better outcomes. When it comes to work-related decisions, you don’t feel compelled to grasp for control. You do, however, feel the need to have your say when you feel your perspective is relevant. You, and your motivation at work, suffer when you are bullied, discounted, or stifled. The more open to expression and dialogue your work environment, the more comfortable you are, and the freer you feel to work your best.

 You feel this motive being met when…

+ You feel comfortable expressing your thoughts and opinions in your workplace.

+ Your workplace is democratic when it comes to listening to multiple viewpoints, ideas, and concerns.

+ When you speak at work, you feel respected and heard.

This motive is at risk when…

– Your words, or your colleagues’ words, are dismissed either by other colleagues or by management.

– You’ve recently witnessed or experienced harsh or unfair consequences as the result of expressing a dissenting opinion or concern.

– You often feel like you are hiding at work and are concerned about the consequences if you express yourself openly.

A Work Wellness Check-In for FREE EXPRESSION

1. Am I able to express myself freely at work? If I am not heard, have I done anything to change this? How have my attempts been received?
2. How common is open discussion in my workplace? Am I content with the amount and style of our communication?
3. Is there anything I would change about communication in my workplace? If there is, how can I help to change it? Can I lead by example?
4. Do I personally welcome the ideas, opinions, and perspectives of my peers? Do they welcome my perspective?

5. When my colleagues disagree with me, how do I react? Do I give others the freedom to challenge my ideas? When I want to challenge their ideas, do I challenge them respectfully and thoughtfully? Have I truly listened first?
6. How do my work peers react when we have disagreements? To dissenting opinions? Collectively, would I describe us as “open-minded”?
7. If I feel safe to express and share freely with people I work with, do they know I appreciate this about our relationship or cultural dynamic? Could I share my appreciation so others continue to help support this motive?
8. Have I personally or others I work with, been penalized in any way for expressing their concerns or opinions with honest intentions? If so, how has that impacted me?
9. Do the team leaders, clients, customers and/or managers with whom I work welcome different opinions? What typically happens if people disagree with them?
10. On a scale of 1-10, how open, vocal and candid are people in my work culture or team? (1=complete silence; 10=share everything) How do I feel about my answer? 

12. When my opinion differs from the majority, do I still feel secure enough to share it? When I share my opinions how is my delivery? Would how I communicate my opinions help them be better received?
13. What are the specific areas of self-expression or professional expression that I value most in my workplace? (e.g. others welcoming my ideas; having space to articulate myself in meetings; peers accepting me when I mention a cause or outside interest; being able to talk about my experiences or my values without being minimized or ridiculed; people at work usually communicating without shouting or talking over one another; being able to dissent from common opinion; not being dismissed or disdained; etc.…) Is the way I express myself accepted and protected where I work?
14. Are there areas in my work life where I feel more comfortable expressing myself? Can I maximize the time I spend in those areas, or with those people? What do those circumstances and people have in common? Can I maximize or cultivate that characteristic throughout my work life?
15. When I’m unable to work from my natural motivation in FREE EXPRESSION, is it mainly due to my own inhibitions or to outside inhibitions imposed by my workplace? If the first, can I practice being uncomfortable in order to share more of my opinions and ideas?
16. In my workplace’s established guidelines for communication, which rules make sense to me and which do not? Are restrictions on expression reasonable? Are guidelines unclear or inconsistent? Are some directions clear and consistent, but against my values? If I have questions regarding FREE EXPRESSION, especially regarding the “why,” is it safe to talk to my supervisor or to HR?
17. In the majority of situations at work, are disagreements handled constructively? Does the process allow everyone to express themselves? If this is an area my team is weak in, could I suggest getting training to help?
18. How does my team or company process when everyone is not on the same page?  How do I feel when I’m in the middle of our process?
19. How can I engage to create a work culture where communication boundaries are healthy, understood, and acceptable, and a FREE EXPRESSION motive can thrive?