Recently, I found myself dealing with a frustrating situation at work impacting my confidence that I’m sure a lot of people can relate to. I was asked to do something I’ve done plenty of times before, but this time it was handed off to a different coworker, and they had a whole new way of doing things. What should’ve been a simple task suddenly felt like it had a dozen extra steps, and none of it made sense. It just seemed like a lot of unnecessary hassle, but I was willing to talk about it and find a better way together.
I tried to bring up my concerns at the beginning, suggesting we work together to make the tasks more efficient. However, instead of meeting me halfway, they shut me down completely. They were set on their method, even though it felt like way more work than needed. I was annoyed, but more than that, I felt like I was talking to a brick wall.
There was just no flexibility.
Since we weren’t getting anywhere, I decided it made sense to talk to my supervisor. My coworker is pretty close with our office manager, so I wasn’t sure going that route would help. My supervisor seemed understanding and said they’d take a look into it and let me know what they could do.
The next day, I got an email saying we were sticking with the more complicated method, and if we didn’t like it, we could leave for the day—without pay. That was confusing because it didn’t really sound like my supervisor at all, but I figured, okay, it’s settled. Then, a second email hit my inbox, this time from the manager, basically scolding me for going to my supervisor. The manager said, “That’s just how the job works,” and I needed to suck it up.
At first, I was shocked.
How did this turn into me being in the wrong? I had done everything by the book, going to my supervisor like I was supposed to. Then it clicked: my coworker probably went to the manager after feeling upset about getting called out. And instead of looking at the situation fairly, the manager took their friend’s side.
I started questioning myself—was I wrong for speaking up? But the more I thought about it, the more I knew I wasn’t. Just because it’s uncomfortable doesn’t mean I should back down. In work and life, it’s so easy to go quiet when things get tense, but that’s exactly when you need to stand firm.
Standing up for yourself is a must.
It’s not about being confrontational—it’s about respecting yourself and setting boundaries. If you keep letting people steamroll you, you’ll end up feeling miserable. Sure, speaking up might cause some waves, but it’s better than staying silent and losing pieces of yourself along the way. In the long run, standing your ground shows others—and yourself—that you won’t just go along with things that don’t feel right.
Yes, standing your ground can bring some uncomfortable moments or even pushback, but it’s how things change. It can make people stop and think. In this case, I realized the issue wasn’t even about the task anymore. It was more about someone being upset that I didn’t just go with the flow.
At work and in life, there are always going to be moments when speaking up feels awkward or risky. But sometimes, you have to do it anyway. Even if it causes a stir, at least you know you stood up for yourself and stayed true to who you are.
Featured image via Christina Morillo on Pexels
