Your voice has the power to change the trajectory of your career, but many women miss out because they don’t speak up. These tips will help you seize every opportunity at work.
Consider my client, Gissell Moronta, who nailed a presentation in front of 200 people at the HSMAI Sales Leader Forum.
But get this: six months prior to the day she presented, she was terrified to do it.
As SVP of Sales and Marketing at Atrium Hospitality, she had declined invitations to present before because of her public speaking fear.
This year, something in her shifted. She took that courageous step to say “yes” and we began working together.
Through targeted techniques to build her confidence and support from my mastermind group of hospitality leaders (The Power House), she overcame her fears and slayed that stage.
Confidence combines strategy and action – and the best news: it’s a learnable skill.
Let’s dive in with five tips:
1. Know How You Come Across:
Whether you’re speaking on a stage or in a meeting, record yourself and watch it back. Notice your posture, gestures, vocal tone, and facial expressions. While it may feel awkward at first, this provides an objective view of how you come across. If video feels too daunting, start with audio recordings and listen as if you’re observing someone else (since we’re our own worst critics). Remember to celebrate your strengths, too!
2. Speak First:
You know those few seconds of awkward silence as a meeting begins? This is a leadership opportunity. Everyone is waiting for someone to go first. Let that be you! Speaking first demonstrates confidence and ensures your ideas are heard before others voice similar thoughts. It also reduces anxiety – once you’ve contributed, you can focus on the discussion instead of worrying about when to speak up.
3. Stop Rambling and Get to the Point:
Qur tendency to ramble is one of the biggest obstacles to presenting well. How do you fix it? When you notice yourself rambling, pause, gather your thoughts and say, “My point is this…” and state it.
Here’s a client example:
During a mock interview, a senior leader in biotech gave an unfocused, data dump response to the question,“Tell me about yourself.”
I stopped her and redirected, “What’s the most important thing about you that the hiring manager should know? Start with that.”
We did it again and this time she said, “Before I go into detail, the most important thing for you to know is that I love research and that’s what this job requires.”
Boom. There it was. This focused approach provided context and clarity for the rest of her response.
4. Be Diplomatic and Direct:
When you want to share your opinion, say, “here’s my vote” or “here’s what I think” versus tiptoeing around it. Years ago I was reporting to the company president and she surprised me by saying, “Karen, you always come to meetings and ask us what we think. I want to know what you think.” I rarely offered my opinion because I was afraid of what my boss would think. Being direct will avoid confusion, get your opinion heard, and garner more respect.
5. Avoid Minimizing Language (like “just,” “little” and “I’m sorry.”)
Notice the difference between “I just want to share a little tip with you” versus “I want to share a tip with you.” The second version sounds more confident without changing the meaning.
As women, we over apologize. Train yourself to say “excuse me” instead. If you’re late for a meeting, say “thanks for understanding,”or “thanks for your patience.”
6. Ask for what you want:
If you stay quiet, you’ll never know what might have happened. Too many women hold back from asking as they don’t want to be judged or they fear being rejected. It’s vulnerable to ask for something. But, wouldn’t you rather take the risk than wonder?
It might sound something like this:
“Hi Boss, I’d like to talk about my career progression. Can we set up a conversation?
or
“I know we’re expanding the marketing department and I’d like to help. It’s timely as my goal is to be a VP by X date. I’m highly motivated and want to move up quickly. Can we create a plan together to help me get there? From your perspective, what’s working well for me now and what could I do better? I want to ensure I close any gaps so I can get there as soon as possible.”
By implementing these strategies, you’ll build confidence, secure more opportunities, and advance your career. Remember, confidence is a skill that grows with practice and intention.
