Making Your Voice Heard: Leadership Tips for Women in Male-Dominated Settings

As a leadership coach focused on helping women succeed, I often work with female clients who struggle to have their voices heard and ideas recognized, especially in male-dominated industries or settings. This is a common challenge, but there are tangible steps women can take to amplify their presence and influence. Without influence, it is difficult to grow your career, whether you are male or female.

Here are my tips:

• First, relationships matter. Take the time to build 1:1 connections with your peers and create rapport.
• Ask open-ended questions to engage your team members in co-creating solutions.
• Use phrases like “Yes, and...” to build upon what is said and seamlessly add your point of view.
• Rephrase what you heard by saying "What I heard was..." to ensure you are tracking the conversation and that others feel heard and understood.
• It's also critical to read the room - be aware of the verbal and non-verbal cues happening around you, including tone of voice, body language, and overall dynamics. This is not a new notion, but a lot of people forget about body language because we are caught up in our thoughts or what needs to be accomplished. If you slow down, you'll be able to catch more of what is happening, dynamically.

Unconsciously, women tend to minimize their physical presence, crossing legs tightly, pressing arms to their sides, and keeping belongings neat and close. Yet, men tend to spread out and take up as much space as possible.

This tendency also manifests verbally. As noted in the book How Women Rise by Sally Helgesen and Marshall Goldsmith Stakeholder Centered Coaching , studies show women use more uncertain phrasing like "This might not be important, but..."

By making ourselves smaller physically and verbally, we undermine our ability to communicate power and authority. Yet, little changes can make a big difference. Focus on opening up your body language, speaking concisely, and inserting your voice confidently into the dialogue. Think from a place of expansion and openness versus constriction and setting up to defend yourself.

We all have valuable perspectives to share. As women, we need to claim our space and voice with confidence. Consistent effort to project confidence and take up space, both literally and figuratively, can truly amplify your impact and influence.

For a free consult, visit serinsilva.com or follow me on LinkedIn.