Describe a time when you gave your opinion in a group discussion

I'd like to talk about a discussion I took part in at work about eight months ago. Our department had a meeting to decide whether to introduce a four-day working week as a trial. About fifteen people attended, including our manager and several colleagues who had been at the company for many years.

I am usually quite quiet in meetings, especially when senior people are present. At first, I only listened. Most of the older staff were sceptical; they said that it would cause problems with clients and make it difficult to finish urgent tasks. I understood their concerns, but I had read several studies about companies that had tried similar schemes, and I believed that the results had generally been positive. After a few minutes, I decided to speak up.

I raised my hand and said that I agreed it wasn't without risk, but that productivity often increased when people had more time to rest. I backed this up with two examples I had read about, in which employees took fewer sick days and made fewer mistakes. I also suggested that we run a three-month trial in one team, and measure the results before deciding anything permanent.

I was nervous, but the reaction was better than I had expected. Our manager thanked me for the suggestion, and a few colleagues said that they had not thought about it that way. In the end, the company agreed to a small pilot.

It was an important moment for me, because it showed me that my opinion has value if I explain it clearly and respectfully. Since then, I find it much easier to contribute to meetings.