People who keep their heads down and stay quiet are protected by the status quo. People who try to make real change are often ostracized by it. This is how it has always been.

Take NBA veteran Chris Paul. Just weeks into his retirement season, he was abruptly cut from the Los Angeles Clippers. The league and the team are being quiet about the reasons, but the word on social media points to one story: Chris Paul was too loud. He was too willing to hold his teammates and coaches accountable while they navigated a disastrous season.

It’s rare to see this happen to a star like Paul, but it happens all the time to people who lack the clout to make headlines. We all know the coworker who knew a better way to do things, but the boss wouldn’t listen. We remember the time we warned the folks upstairs about a potential issue, were ignored, and then watched the problem unfold exactly as predicted. We are expected to keep it all inside and follow the leader. But where has that gotten us beyond

I don’t think you should be afraid to speak up. You have good ideas. You are allowed to take up space. You are allowed to hold your teammates accountable when they misstep—and you certainly deserve to keep your job for doing so.