Strategy vs. Truth

What happens inside an employee when strategy doesn’t jive with what they know to be truth? In a millisecond, a string of questions unwinds.
Questions like: Do they expect me to say something? Will I get in trouble if I say something? Will I get in trouble later if I don’t say something? Is talking about this career suicide? If I raise concerns, will I be seen as a problem? What if my comments are wrong – will I be seen as being too tactical? Does anyone else see the fatal flaw in this strategy? How will I pay the price for my perceived ‘insubordination’ somewhere down the road?
This demand dialogue indicates individual and organizational conflict that results when what’s known at the 20,000 foot level doesn’t match what’s happening on the ground. People feel a mixture of political fear and personal confusion. The fear of delivering ‘the news’ is the sign of structural problems and a likely indicator of eventual breakdown.