In order to understand how risky it would be to provide negative upward feedback, you might discuss the mattter with other employees, before deciding what to say or do. This is an example of the part of the risk negotiation cyle.

Sense making

Explanation:

Employees in a workplace communicate in interlinked stages when there is perception of risk in the work place. However these cycles could result when risk is diminished.

The risk negotiation cycle is made up of the following stages: attending, sense making, transforming and maintaining.

Sense making is the stage where employees try to get a sense of how much risk a situation presents.

There is verification of conformation with cultural and organisational rules.

In the given scenario where there is discussion with other employees to ascertain risk of providing negative upward feedback, it is a sense making stage to test how culturally correct the action is.