This article is part of Finding the Words, a newsletter that delivers practical insights on the day’s issues.

Daniel Ellsberg, the military analyst and whistleblower who leaked the Pentagon Papers, died last Friday, June 15. He was 92.

As I listened to the remembrance on NPR this past weekend, I was struck by how he wrestled with the weight of his decision to say something. Here’s what he said in a 2013 interview, also on NPR, with Linda Wertheimer:
 
“Do I keep my silence, go along with presidential deception, not reveal it to Congress or the public? Or should I take what I knew was the very great risk of giving Congress a real indication of where the country was going on this? And I decided that it was worth a life in prison to do that.”

While you will hopefully never find yourself in a situation like Ellsberg’s, you’ll likely find yourself in the crosshairs of a complicated situation or two, where you're left wondering, “Do I say something, or do I stay silent?”
 
Most people, when faced with this choice, will choose to say nothing. In fact, research from the RAD Group found that when people see something they think is unsafe, they will speak up only about 39% of the time. The findings held across different industries, cultures, and countries. The reason why most will stay silent, even when they see something unsafe or dangerous at work?  Many say they fear a negative reaction from the person receiving the information.
 
But what if you had the words, the confidence, and the courage to communicate through these moments? What might happen as a result?

For Ellsberg, the Pentagon Papers, which were published in The New York Times 52 years ago this month, did not directly affect Nixon’s policy, and the Vietnam War actually expanded after the Pentagon Papers came out. Still, the information he shared showed conclusively how Congress and the American people had been lied to, in a way that no one else was able or willing to do.

Every day we’re faced with hard decisions that make us wonder, “Should I say something, and will it matter?" I believe it can matter, but you won’t know how if you stay silent.

Bottom line: Saying something when we see something is not easy. But the effect could be the start of something groundbreaking, too. You just won’t know if you don't try.

For specific tips on how to say something when you see something, read my related blog, “When You Say Nothing at All.”

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