Advocacy is a critical skill that many employees either don’t know how to do or don’t practice enough. While it’s admirable to double down and work without necessary staff or resources, to take on extra responsibilities, or to plod through less than ideal conditions, those are all short-term solutions to a larger issue.
Instead of clearly stating your needs to someone who can effect change, people continue to absorb frustrations, perform less efficiently, or fail to make enhancements to their work. They rationalize their inaction with excuses like “We don’t have the budget,” “It will never get approved,” “I don’t have the time to pitch a plan,” or “It has always been this way,” effectively denying the request before it is ever made.
Supervisors are not mind readers. If there is a problem, especially an ongoing one, it is incumbent on the staff member to articulate it along with their recommendations and rationale. Whether or not the proposal is immediately approved, it serves to raise awareness and plant the seeds for future changes.
Advocacy is not whining or complaining without purpose, but rather it is thoughtfully relaying the situation and a possible change that would make things better. Don’t self-sabotage with your silence.
