Senior strategist Aliya Rahman meekly raised her hand with a suggestion this Monday, worried that her informed opinion might bother someone if she shares an idea that is useful and a very good point.
“We can’t do that because we don’t have enough funds allocated for this project,” said Rahman. “Sorry.” She added.
Crossing her fingers that her rude sharing of knowledge that would directly impact the future of her company wouldn’t get Rahman fired or worse, impede her coworkers’ ability to leave the meeting early, she averted her eyes back to the ground.
“Sorry,” she added one more time, embarrassed to have done the job she was hired to do.
This blatant assault on her boss’s plan was not on Rahman’s agenda for the day and she sincerely hoped it didn’t offend anyone.
Several of her co-workers exchanged glances, frustrated at her well-calculated suggestion that had offered a perspective they had heretofore not considered.
“I don’t wanna be that person who talks too much in a meeting you know? Or talks at all. I feel like that’s intense,” said Rahman after the meeting ended while shrinking into her chair until she slid to the ground. “I’m careful about not taking up too much space or…any space.”
In the past, she’s been admonished for her displays of expertise with discrete looks from colleagues.
“Aliya always brings up really good points in meetings,” said Rahman’s co-worker Ajit Shah, “I only wish that she’d speak up more often!”
“I mean yeah, I have a Master’s in this very specific field but I feel like that’s kind of annoying to bring up,” Said Rahman, “So I try to only bring up a point if it’s going to drastically alter the global economy as we know it. Otherwise, I keep it to myself.”
At her next meeting, Rahman was seen keeping a point to herself that would prevent the next recession but at least she wasn’t making any of her co-workers uncomfortable.
