I think this is more of a leadership problem than anything else. I think one of the goals of a leader is to create an environment in which people feel good abo

I think this is more of a leadership problem than anything else. I think one of the goals of a leader is to create an environment in which people feel good about bringing their ideas to the forefront. They shouldn't be punished for being outspoken. I agree with coglehtorpe that in many large organizations such a person would get fired. I think employees can speak up but before they do they should assess the situation. I don't know if your chances are better in general in a small company. I have been in small organizations where the CEO is a bully and don't really care for much feedback. The trick is to work for an organization large or small whose culture favors such a behavior for e.g. GE under Welch or some of today's great companies when they were small etc. What I can say from experience though is that a company that favors employees to speak and one that values their opinion is a superior company.