In just 4 words, there’s so much to unpack here. What is “the truth?” What kind of power are we referring to? Just because we see something doesn’t mean it’s the only objective understanding of the situation. Consider the blindfolded individuals who are feeling a tree, a hose, a brush, and a spear just to find that they’re all touching different parts of an elephant. Speaking truth to power can be heard as bravery to tell the bosses what’s what and damn the repercussions. Also, it can be seen as telling the boss they’ve got a bad idea because… it’s a bad idea. If we want to be heard and speak truth to power, it needs to be based on relationship. Without relationship, critique can be easily dismissed as whining. But how. How do we earn the relationship, how do we foster honest feedback, how do we offer insight when there’s a power differential. It’s not easy, it’s not necessarily direct, but it is possible. Be curious, not judgmental (unattributed quote, not Walt Whitman, by the way).