The Mindset Required for Speaking Up

Issue 03

Editor’s note:?On a recent trip to Paris, the hosts of this very newsletter had the opportunity to use the content in Say More About That in real time!

Upon arriving at our hotel in Paris, we quickly realized that our accommodations were not a fit for our travel standards. The hotel we met in person did not match the photographs we saw online. This presented a sticky situation because I am somewhat challenged when it comes to speaking up, however, I had booked both hotel rooms and was on the hook for three nights at a non-refundable rate.

Eeek!

We were able to check out of the hotel after our first night and secure better accommodations and frankly, I was prepared to eat the loss because of the nonrefundable clause. But Amber pushed back and we saw a different - more equitable outcome.

This experience taught me that even though you may have the tools and scripts to push back and speak up at your disposal, you really must cultivate a mindset for speaking up if you want to be truly effective. -?AML

A few tips and lessons learned from this real-life scenario:

1. Clarify the equitable outcome. What about this situation feels inequitable? Why do believe you deserve a different experience?
2. Make your case to yourself first. Before engaging or attempting to negotiate with others, first, be clear on why you believe you should win.
3. Understand the other party's objectives. Go into your negotiation with an understanding of what the other person wants to get - and also what they'd rather avoid.
4. Stay calm. At no point lose your composure. The person who stays calm ultimately prevails. Take deep breaths.
5. Have your pushback points ready for round 2, round 3, and round 4 of the negotiation. Otherwise, you're likely to shut down after the other party pushes back one time.

Join the conversation by leaving us your comment, or send in your new questions and scenarios for Amber.

She may respond with a relevant script just for you. You can?submit your specific question or scenario here.

See you in the next issue!

[Submit your question to receive Amber's inclusive communications guidance in an upcoming issue of this newsletter.]

Fresh New Episodes of ?Guilty Privilege?

Listen to the new podcast Guilty Privilege or watch the video interviews on YouTube.

Cabral Co is Officially WBENC Certified!

Cabral Co. | Cabral Consulting, LLC.?is officially a Women’s Business Enterprise National Council /?WBENC?- Certified Business!??? ?? ??

After working for OVER A YEAR to complete our application, submit our business records, and go through the multi-part interview process, we’ve achieved this critical designation.

Candidly, it’s been a revenue rollercoaster these past few months with companies reducing force, cutting back on employee wellness, and dismantling internal professional development and inclusion programs.

So we’re hoping the certification will open some NEW DOORS for our small, woman-owned business.???" -?Amber Cabral

Submit a Question for Say More About That

Please submit your question or scenario for us to address in an upcoming issue of the new advice column and newsletter. Your submission will remain anonymous unless you indicate otherwise >>?Submit your question

Order a Copy of the Book

Get your copy of Say More About That...And Other Ways to Speak Up, Push Back, and Advocate for Yourself and Others >>?Order the book

Amber Cabral?is an award-winning inclusion strategist, certified coach, speaker, and author of two books,?Allies and Advocates (Wiley, 2020)?and?Say More About That (Wiley, 2022). Through training, coaching, and speaking, she helps organizations, diversity and inclusion leaders, and high achievers appropriately disrupt the status quo to invite the innovation, momentum, and the diversity of thought necessary to achieve their inclusion goals.

A people-passionate, idea-generating, strategist, Amber develops inclusive leaders and cultivates diverse and equitable cultures for Fortune 500 Organizations with $50B in sales and small 5-person organizations alike.

By applying new and existing knowledge and using her knack for creating vulnerable spaces, Amber leads a team of strategists at?Cabral Co?to bring safety, authenticity, and honesty to difficult topics.

Amber is best known for sharing respectful, authentic, and no-nonsense training, strategies, and content. Her delivery is rich with simple tools, impactful steps, and eye-opening insights that inspire behavior change.

Amanda Miller Littlejohn?is a thought leadership brand strategist, executive coach, and writer. With a career spanning 15 years across journalism, public relations, and coaching she has been a pioneering voice on personal branding - teaching her students and clients across the globe to package their genius ideas, strategies, and services so they can contribute their most impactful work.?She works as?an executive coach and executive storyteller?helping senior leaders build powerful thought leadership platforms to increase their revenue, relevance, and recognition. Follow Agency Thought Partners for more on thought leadership, and Package Your Genius Academy for more on personal branding.

A lifelong writer, Amanda wrote the foreword to Say More About That.