Beyond Speaking Up: Finding Your Authentic Voice
"Just speak up more in meetings."
This well-intentioned but oversimplified advice ignores a fundamental truth: finding your leadership voice isn't about volume or frequency. It's about authenticity, clarity, and impact.
The Difference Between Speaking and Being Heard:
Early in my career, I received feedback that I needed to be "more vocal" in executive settings. Following this advice literally, I began forcing myself to comment in every meeting, regardless of whether I had something meaningful to contribute.
The result? I spoke more but paradoxically felt less heard.
Why Finding Your Voice Matters:
Your authentic voice is the intersection of your unique experiences, perspectives, and values. When you communicate from this place:
You contribute insights no one else can offer
You build trust through consistency and authenticity
You influence with integrity rather than authority alone
You inspire others to bring their authentic voices forward
Beyond the Meeting Room: Where Voice Really Matters:
Voice in decision-making: How you approach choices – the questions you ask, the factors you weigh, the courage with which you commit – forms a critical dimension of your voice.
Voice in relationships The way you build connections, offer feedback, and navigate conflict communicates more powerfully than your words alone.
Voice in action Your follow-through, work ethic, and response to challenges speak volumes about your leadership presence.
Voice in silence What you choose not to say – the restraint you show, the listening you prioritize, the space you create for others – is as definitive as what you vocalize.
Finding Your Authentic Voice:
Identify your core message: What truth do you consistently return to? What perspective do you uniquely bring? Clarifying your central message helps you communicate with consistency.
Recognize your natural communication style: Some leaders excel at inspirational communication, others at analytical precision, still others at compassionate connection. Honor your authentic style rather than forcing yourself into an ill-fitting approach.
Align your voice with your values: When your communication reflects your deepest values, it carries unmistakable authenticity. Regularly revisit your core values and assess whether your voice – in all its dimensions – aligns with these principles.
Seek environments that value your voice: If you consistently feel your authentic voice isn't welcomed or valued, consider whether the environment, not your voice, needs changing.
Conclusion: Your voice matters not because it's loud, but because it's yours. No one else brings your particular combination of experiences, insights, and values to the conversation.
To dive deeper into courageous leadership and create lasting impact, explore my keynote, "Courage as a Carry-On."
