‘The power of no in a world that demands yes’

The Connection with Marty Moss-Coane

It’s not easy to say no or to speak up if you disagree with someone or object to something that someone has said or done because it’s wrong. It often feels easier to just comply, to go along to get along, to defer especially when dealing with people in power. Organizational psychologist Sunita Sah says we pay a big emotional price when we do things against our better judgement.

Dr. Sah was a self described “good girl” growing up and has spent her professional life studying defiance, ethics, advice and authority. In her new book, Defy, she writes that defiance is not always about rudeness or disobedience, rather “it’s about acting in accordance with your values when faced with the pressure to do otherwise.” Of course that means knowing what your values are.

On The Connection this week: when defiance is better than compliance…how to speak up when it matters.