#198: The Cost of Silence: Why Not Speaking is LOUD

Most of us don't stay silent because we don't care. We stay silent because we don't want to make things worse, create conflict, or say the wrong thing. But what if our silence is communicating more than we realize? In this episode of Finding the Upside, and as part of the series “Living Your Values”, I explore the hidden cost of staying quiet—both in our personal lives and as leaders. From the workplace to our communities, I examine how the moments we choose not to speak can shape culture, relationships, and the values we claim to stand for. I also share why courage isn't always loud or dramatic.  More often, it's found in the ordinary choices we make every day to stand beside someone, ask a difficult question, or simply refuse to look away. If you've ever wrestled with whether to speak up or stay silent, this conversation is an invitation to reflect on what your choices are communicating—and how one act of courage can create space for others to do the same. Here’s a quick look at what you can expect from today’s episode… [1:44] Why Silence Is Never Truly Neutral [5:26] The Culture Leaders Create by What They Tolerate [8:16] How Relationships Make Courage Personal [11:19] The Hidden Cost of Staying Silent [15:19] What's the Upside? Why Courage Is Contagious Episode Show Notes   Maria DeLorenzis Reyes | Instagram  Maria DeLorenzis Reyes | Facebook⁠   Maria DeLorenzis Reyes | LinkedIn  Maria DeLorenzis Reyes | Website Maria DeLorenzis Reyes | Youtube If you’re ready to dive deeper and level up your learning beyond the Finding the Upside episodes, sign up for the Business Leaders Hub! Get access to exclusive content, resources and tools, and a community built to help you accelerate to the next level. It’s all waiting for you  HERE. Want to scale your business to the next level? GET SCORED NOW  My Scale Factor Formula™ Scorecard takes just 5 minutes and will give you a custom scorecard for your business. Get your Business Scale Ready Score HERE.  What kind of leader are you? Unlock your leadership potential with The Rebel Leader Assessment! Take the Leadership Skills Quiz HERE!  Thanks for tuning into Finding The Upside! If you enjoy listening to our podcast, we would greatly appreciate it if you could take a moment to leave us a rating and review HERE. Your feedback is important to us and will help us improve our content and reach more listeners like you. Post a screenshot of you listening on Instagram & tag us @themariadr so we can thank you personally! Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the Finding The Upside podcast! Don’t miss out on future interviews with special guests plus bonus episodes! Follow now!  Never miss a show…get the goods delivered directly to your inbox!  CLICK HERE and find “Email Me New Episodes” at the Bottom of the page.