Three Lessons for Executive Women on Speaking Up - Even if Your Voice Shakes
Amanda Blesing FARPI
Helping women succeed in the C-suite | Work with me 1:1 | CEO | Speaker, Mentor, Best Selling Author | Retreat Facilitator | LinkedIn Top Voice & Top 50 Women in Leadership Influencer
Speak out even if your voice shakes
While I've always known I could talk with a mouth full of marbles underwater, speaking up and out for things that were important to me has been much more challenging.
I'd frequently get?word salad,?or giggle at the end of saying something controversial, or worry about not being liked ...... which, let's face it, means that I've never stood up for myself anywhere near frequently enough and over time this really undermines your self-esteem.
Given too my work with executive women and helping them to self-promote more effectively, I'm all too aware that speaking out and adding your opinion can be really tough for women especially when driving a change agenda.
Female voices are labelled as shrill or whiny especially when we are expressing a different or controversial opinion - unless you sound like a man. As a result women's opinions aren't always heard at the highest levels, as we've either been shamed into silence or as men simply?"can't hear"?us when we speak.
Plus when you don't fit in or you feel like your opinion isn't even heard, it can make you wonder why you even bother.
And yet, business does better with women's voices heard throughout.
Learning how to speak out has been one of my biggest career achievements and one that I've come to rely on immensely, yet it remains a work in progress. It's taken focused effort and heaps of practice and I had to find a platform that really worked for me.
WHICH LEADS ME TO MY FABULOUS NEWS!
Earlier this week I was awarded a?LinkedIn Top Voice Award? for my posting in 2021. WOOT!!
Shout it from the roof tops!?Thanks to everyone who has liked, commented or reshared my content because that's what it takes to become a LinkedIn Top Voice.
What have I learned in the process??Heaps!?So I've unpacked some important lessons around learning to find your voice and speak up even if your voice shakes - because it's not just good for business, it's good for everyone.
THREE LESSONS TO HELP YOU SPEAK UP, EVEN IF YOUR VOICE SHAKES
1. Find your sense of purpose.?
Dig deep into your why. Finding a purpose, mission or cause helps women, in particular, to depress the "modesty norm" which often undermines our attempts to step into the limelight, according to research.
When you find your?why, it makes speaking up so much easier.
2. Find your authentic voice.?
Stop trying to sound?proper?or like you're regurgitating an HBR article. Others resonate more with your message when you are able speak your truth in your own voice, not in the voices of others. Sounding like someone else is plain and simple hard yakka! Instead, use real life examples and metaphors from your own experience, rather than try to impress others with how academic you sound. Not only does this make speaking out easier, but your audience will connect with you more as well.
3. Find a platform that works for you.
Then get really comfortable with it until it becomes second nature. I've been?practicing?at LinkedIn for years, working out what works, what doesn't and how to get more ROI from my content. But perhaps your platform is podcast interviews, Workplace from Facebook, videos, facilitating meetings or being quoted in the press. Not only will this keep you confident, but it will mean you are more likely to lean into sharing your opinion more consistently.
Which leads me to your bonus tip.
BONUS TIP 4.?Stay consistent.?
Women are busy enough so I'm always looking for ways to prioritise for impact. My posting cadence in 2021 was on average, one post per week. Yes, that's it. Then the time I saved from not having to post daily, I used instead on making sure my writing was strong and my message was bold. What this meant was I didn't have to wear myself out thinking of new things to say all the time and I also didn't wear out my welcome. There is a rule on social media that you should remember and can be applied everywhere - in meetings, for your conference speaking and even with your networking events.?Consistency trumps frequency, and even virality.?Develop a consistent cadence that works for you and your audience and network will appreciate you even more.
Speaking out, stepping into the limelight and truly owning your voice and opinion in more masculine dominated environments can be really challenging, yet incredibly rewarding. I hope the tactics I suggest above help you find your own voice too.
Because not stepping up, speaking out or taking charge will keep you feeling stuck and prevent you from realising the full extent of your professional and personal worth. This does little justice to you and the organisation you work for. To overcome a few of these issues will not only increase your confidence, but new opportunities will present themselves effortlessly, as will the feeling of being back in the driver's seat of your work, career and destiny again.
YOUR THOUGHTS? What helps you to speak out??Comment below with what works for you.?Thanks in advance!
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Amanda Blesing is a highly sought after mentor, speaker and?2 x author ?on feminine ambition - how to spark it, tackle it and see it flourish. As former NFP CEO she understands the tightrope that many women walk on their pathway to the top in their quest to make a difference. Follow her, or check out her website at?www.amandablesing.com
Marketing, Strategic Growth and Development
2 年It's really interesting to read this post Amanda after the week I've had. I made a decision recently that I really needed to 'speak up' particularly when there are so many voices that need to be heard. I was asked asked how the situation could be fixed - Do you need more money? I absolutely quashed the idea of more money and countered that it was not a good investment, that it wouldn't achieve the outcome we were looking for. I instead offered a more strategic position with time frames etc etc. Later in the week, the CFO thanked me publicly for speaking out, for making a firm statement and commending me on taking a firm position in relation to ROI. I was pleased for the recognition but also stumped - I didn't know how to respond except nod and smile. *groan* "What would Amanda have done?" I did wonder whether the CFO would have made such a call out for anyone else. Nevertheless a win!
CEO & Co Founder at SYNLO ? Digital Transformation & Operational Excellence
2 年Thanks for sharing Amanda Blesing FARPI MAICD - great read. And importantly, Congratulations on the LinkedIn award.
Senior Principal @ Infosys Consulting | Public benefit strategist | Program Director | Speaker | Leading policy agility at scale
2 年This absolutely resonates for me Amanda Blesing FARPI MAICD . The antidote to the nerves you’ve described I’ve found effective is practise . Say it the first time and a self effacing ‘but it’s fine’ might creep in, second time an awkward pause, but third and subsequent gets easier and more effective .
Business Consultant | Medical Scientist | Senior Environmental Health Officer | Food Safety Specialist | Executive Ready & Advanced Leadership | Expert Mentor | Author
2 年Like always Amanda .....Wow! Thank you for sharing.
Former Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Councillor of Officer Ward, Cardinia Shire.
2 年Great article and tips, and congratulations on your award ??