Who doesn’t love to work on a high-performing team? It’s motivating to work with smart, dedicated colleagues who constantly add value to projects and are quick to execute on their responsibilities, then ask, “What’s next?”

But in some high-performing teams, collaboration gets put aside as competition heats up. Co-workers play verbal ping-pong in meetings, constantly promote their achievements, and put in long hours to try to gain an edge over their colleagues.

Sometimes, it can seem easier to take a back seat while your teammates go head to head. But Linda Adams, President of Gordon Training International, says,“Silencing ourselves exacts a huge price.” When you adopt a passive attitude, your contributions and opinions get overlooked, and the team loses a valuable voice.

So what does it take to speak up and have a voice when you work in a highly competitive team?

When a participant asked that question in my recent webinar, “Finding Your Voice,” panelist Monali Jain leaped at the opportunity to offer some guidance.

Read my article for The Muse.