在職場裡，我們每天都在溝通：老闆對員工是「上對下」，員工對主管是「下對上」。同一句話，用不同的方式講，結果可以差很多：你可以變成神隊友，也可以不小心變成豬隊友。
這一篇是從新移民、第一代打拚族的角度出發，整理我自己一路走來的觀察與教訓，特別是：什麼時候要乖乖 follow chain of command，什麼時候又一定要說 「不」，甚至往上反映。
A. 上對下：當你是主管，怎麼交代事情才不變成「情緒外包」
很多新移民一開始都是做基層工作，但隨著年資累積，慢慢也會走到「上對下」的位置。這時候最常見的陷阱是：
- 把壓力直接往下丟：「反正上面要，我就全部丟給你們。」
- 交代不清楚，只丟一句：「你就想辦法弄好。」
- 把不合理、甚至灰色地帶的要求，原封不動轉給下面去扛。
作為主管，想要有神隊友，自己也要先做神隊友：
- 交代清楚目標與底線：什麼是一定要做到的？什麼是不能做、不能碰法律風險的？
- 說明「為什麼」：不是只講「老闆要」，而是補一句「因為客戶時程／合約／法規的關係」。
- 承擔向上的溝通：有疑慮、怕違規的部分，應該由你向上溝通，不是叫 team member 去硬做。
上對下的溝通，不是把壓力往下砸，而是幫團隊把模糊、危險、不合理的東西先過濾一輪。
B. 下對上：當你是員工，怎麼說「我做不到」而不是直接硬吞
很多新移民、第一份工作，最怕的一句話就是：「主管叫我做，我敢說不嗎？」尤其牽涉到錢、帳務、簽名、合約、客戶資料的時候，大家常常會想：
- 「我只是聽命行事，應該不會算我的吧？」
- 「不聽話會不會被炒魷魚？」
現實是：不知道、不懂英文、不敢問，都不等於沒責任。如果事情最後變成法律案件，簽名的人、實際動手 key in 系統的人，常常都會被算在裡面。
所以，下對上的溝通可以這樣做：
- 先問清楚：多問一句「這樣做，合約／公司 policy 有寫嗎？」不是挑戰，而是自保。
- 用書面確認：口頭聽不懂，就請對方 email 或寫下來，你再回一句「收到，我會照您這樣的指示處理」。
- 遇到明顯不對勁，要勇敢說不：牽涉挪用資金、偽造文件、讓你用自己帳戶收錢、叫你簽你不懂的文件，這種要馬上亮紅燈。
如果真的很不舒服，可以：
- 先跟同一個部門裡「值得信任的前輩」討論，確認是不是只有你覺得奇怪。
- 公司有 HR、Compliance、匿名申訴管道的話，可以了解流程。
- 極端情況（例如明顯犯罪、洗錢、挪用存款），可以尋求外部法律諮詢；有些情況甚至應該直接報警。
下對上，不是永遠說「Yes」。真正的職場成熟，是知道什麼時候該說「No」，並且留下紀錄。
C. 自保工具箱：讓你不是豬隊友，也不是犧牲品
不管你是在上位還是下位，有幾個「自保工具」是新移民特別需要學會的：
- 會議紀錄（Meeting Notes）：重要指示，用 email 或筆記整理，會後寄給相關人「供確認」。
- 把模糊變成具體：例如「請在 2 天內回覆客戶 A、B、C 三點」，而不是「你去搞定他」。
- 避免非法錄音：在像加州這種「雙方同意錄音州」，錄音前要先說明、取得同意，不能偷偷錄，避免自己踩線。
- 留意自己的名字出現在哪裡：任何 require 你簽名、用你帳戶、用你證件的事情，都要特別小心。
當你手上有這些工具，你就比較不會被人推到火線當「背黑鍋的人」，也比較知道什麼時候可以理直氣壯說：「這樣不對，我不能這樣做。」
職場裡，沒有人天生是神隊友或豬隊友；多半只是資訊不對稱、經驗不足，或者太害怕失去工作。希望這一篇，可以幫你在上對下、下對上的溝通裡，多一點底氣，也多一點保護自己與團隊的智慧。
In the workplace, we communicate up and down the ladder every single day. Managers give directions to their teams (top-down), and employees report back or raise concerns (bottom-up). The exact same message, said in a different way, can completely change the result — it can turn you into a real team player, or an accidental trouble-maker.
This post is written especially with immigrants and first-generation professionals in mind. When English is not your first language, it is even harder to tell: when should I simply follow the chain of command, and when must I say “No” or speak up? 🧩
A. Top-down: How to give instructions without dumping pressure on your team 🧭
As we gain more experience, many of us move from entry-level roles into positions where we manage others. A very common trap is:
- Passing pressure straight down: “This is what upper management wants. Just make it happen.”
- Giving vague orders: “You figure it out.”
- Forwarding unreasonable or risky requests to the team without filtering them.
If you want good team players, you also need to be a good team player as a manager:
- Set clear goals and boundaries: What must be done? What is absolutely off-limits (legal, compliance, company policy)?
- Explain the “why”: Instead of only saying “boss wants this,” add context: timing, contract terms, customer impact, or legal reasons.
- Own the upward communication: If something feels risky or unclear, you should talk to upper management — don’t push your team to carry that burden alone.
Top-down communication is not about throwing pressure at people. It is about protecting your team from confusion and unnecessary risk.
B. Bottom-up: How to say “I can’t do this” without simply swallowing everything 🧗♀️
For many newcomers — especially in their first job — the scariest thought is: “If my manager tells me to do it, can I really say no?” This is even more stressful when money, accounts, signatures, or customer records are involved.
In reality, “I didn’t know” or “I was just following orders” does not automatically remove your legal responsibility. If your name is on the document, you typed the numbers, or you handled the transaction, you can still be held accountable.
So, how can you communicate upward more safely?
- Ask clarifying questions: “Is this covered in our contract or policy?” is not being difficult — it is protecting yourself and the company.
- Get it in writing: If you don’t fully understand a verbal instruction, ask your manager to send an email. Reply with “Received, I will proceed according to your instructions.”
- Say no when it clearly crosses the line: Anything involving moving client money off the books, using your personal account, falsifying records, or signing forms you don’t understand should trigger a big red flag.
If you truly feel uncomfortable, you may:
- Talk to a trusted senior colleague to sanity-check your feeling.
- Use HR, Compliance, or an anonymous reporting channel if your company has one.
- In extreme cases (clear fraud, theft, money laundering), seek legal advice or contact law enforcement.
Healthy bottom-up communication is not about saying “yes” to everything. It is about knowing when to say “no” — and keeping a record of what you were asked to do. 📝
C. Your self-protection toolkit: Don’t be a “scapegoat teammate” 🛡️
Whether you are managing others or just starting out, there are a few simple tools that can greatly reduce your risk:
- Meeting notes: After important discussions, send a short email summary: who decided what, and by when. Ask, “Please confirm if I missed anything.”
- Turn vague tasks into concrete steps: For example, “I will reply to Client A on items 1–3 within two days,” instead of “I’ll take care of it.”
- Avoid illegal secret recordings: In two-party consent states like California, you generally need everyone’s consent before recording a work conversation.
- Watch where your name and signature appear: Be extremely careful with anything that requires your signature, your personal account, or your ID.
With these tools, you are less likely to be pushed to the front as the person who “takes the blame,” and more able to calmly say: “This doesn’t feel right. I cannot do it this way.”
No one is born a perfect teammate or a problem maker. Most of the time, it’s about information, experience, and courage. I hope this post gives you a bit more clarity — and a bit more protection — in both top-down and bottom-up communication at work. 💚