Finding your voice
At the Grammy Awards in February, Lady Gaga received the Best Pop Vocal Album award for Mayhem, and shared a powerful message of encouragement to women in music.
"So, [I] urge you to always listen to yourself and always fight for your ideas. Fight for your songs. Fight for yourself as a producer. Make sure that you're heard, loudly.” — Lady Gaga, Grammy Awards acceptance speech
It’s now the beginning March, the kickoff to National Women’s History month, and I’m still thinking about Lady Gaga’s acceptance speech. “Make sure that you’re heard, loudly.” She’s speaking to women in the music industry, but really, she’s speaking to all women.
Her advice is poignant. Most women want to amplify their voice and be heard. But it’s not always clear how to make it happen. That’s what this newsletter is all about.
There are a few key ingredients to beginning this work.
You need a safe environment. If you are going to speak up and share more of your ideas, you need to know that the reception will feel safe and welcoming. This means that your colleagues are open, respectful and willing to listen. (This does not mean that they will agree with your views or be excited about all of your ideas.) They just need to create a space that feels safe and open.
You need a clear viewpoint. It’s important to be clear on what you want to share. Thinking through your ideas and spending time practicing articulating them can go a long ways in feeling comfortable and ready to share.
You need courage. Finding your voice will sometimes be scary and uncomfortable, especially at first. You’re stepping outside of your comfort zone and putting yourself out there. This act requires courage. You have all of the courage you need. You just have to tap into it.
As an Executive Coach, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing many woman leaders make great strides in finding their voice and sharing more of themselves with the world.
Here are some examples:
A newly promoted executive who discovered her authentic leadership style and confidently stepped into leading bigger and bigger teams.
A CFO who, later in career, found her greater purpose in education and lent her voice to a new audience by teaching first graders in underprivileged communities.
A Real Estate Broker and Advisor who stepped into a DEI role and found her voice by advocating for greater BIPOC representation in the real estate industry. She initiated new grants for aiding first time home owners, spoke to numerous media outlets, and sat on several DEI committee chairs.
I’ve personally found my voice by writing blogs, newsletters, and more recently, a book for women entrepreneurs. (The publication will be later this year.)
But you don’t need to undergo a major career change or write a book to find your voice. You can do it your way. Here are some ideas:
If you have a hard time speaking up in work meetings, try to set a goal of voicing at least one comment or question per meeting. Center yourself before the meeting and quiet the voice that makes you second guess whether you should speak up.
If you have a great idea to pitch, but are feeling afraid to do it, team up with a colleague and practice your pitch with them. Ask for their feedback and ultimately, their support when you decide to share your idea more broadly.
If you are passionate about something but not sure where to start when it comes to advocacy, join an organization supporting that cause. The structured activities and new connections can give you a good starting point for supporting what you believe in.
If you have views that you’d like to share more broadly, consider a new forum for expression. This could be an article, social media post, podcast- the sky is the limit!
How comfortable do you feel sharing your voice with the world? Do you feel heard loudly?
