Show Up And Speak Up Confidently
We’ve all been there in our careers, right? That moment when it seems like our managers or senior leaders might need a pair of binoculars to spot us. But here’s the thing, when that happens, it’s a cue for some self-reflection.
Being noticed and heard is like the secret sauce for job satisfaction. Check this out – a recent survey found that 93% of the folks who felt valued at work were all gung-ho to give their best, and 88% were totally tuned in and engaged.
So, if we’re itching for our managers, coworkers, and the big shots up top to really appreciate us, here’s the scoop: we’ve got to strut our stuff with confidence and make our voices heard.
Our CEO and Founder, Jessica Chen, recently hosted a Soulcast Media | LIVE event on LinkedIn, where she interviewed the Founder & CEO of Careercake and Career Coach, Aimee Bateman.
They shared tips and personal stories about how to show up and speak up confidently.
1. How We Show Up
You know, there might be times when we’re feeling a bit down in the motivation department, right? When that happens, it’s a good cue to look closer at ourselves and how we’re rocking up to work. Maybe it’s time to amp up our communication game with the managers or summon the courage to stand up for ourselves.
Consider the following:
- Better Communication – The golden rule for showing up and speaking up with confidence – it’s all about nailing our communication skills.
Here’s the deal: we’ve got to be crystal clear when we’re talking to anyone we’re working with. Do we assume that everyone’s on the same wavelength, or do we take a minute to break things down? Maybe our managers are in the dark about what’s cooking on our end, and a simple weekly email update could work wonders for our working relationship. The better we get at this whole communication gig, the more swagger we’ll have in our step when it comes to showing up with confidence.
- Courage – Sometimes, it’s all about summoning that inner courage to stand up and champion our own cause. It’s about using some smart strategies, even when our confidence meter isn’t exactly through the roof.
Take, for instance, the classic workplace scenario: a presentation is on the horizon, and you feel less than sure of yourself. But here’s the kicker – you’ve armed yourself with a bunch of savvy strategies to make sure that presentation shines, even if your confidence isn’t sky-high. The real trick here is to consistently flex that courage muscle, especially when the confidence seems to be playing hide and seek.
- Confidence – You know that feeling when you’re a bit hesitant, but you push yourself to do it anyway? It’s like a mini-challenge you set for yourself. One cool strategy is to make a deal with yourself: in every meeting, you’ll speak up within the first five minutes. And guess what? The more you stick to that plan and keep doing it, the more confident you become. It’s like a little confidence workout, and speaking up soon becomes as natural as breathing.
How we roll up our sleeves at work can seriously impact how happy we are on the job and how well we perform. So, if we’re craving that spotlight and want folks to sit up and take notice, it all boils down to having the guts to step up and speak out.
2. Advocating
We’ve all been there, right? That moment in our careers when we muster up the courage to speak up for ourselves, only for things not to turn out as we’d hoped. It can be a real confidence shaker and make us a tad hesitant about self-advocacy. Even though we might stumble a bit along the way, learning how to effectively advocate for ourselves is like a golden ticket to career success.
Consider the following:
- How It Benefits Others – When it comes to putting on our self-advocacy hat, the first stop on the journey is thinking about how our ask benefits others. Take, for instance, the desire for a promotion. It’s not just about us; we’ve got to consider the bigger picture. So, here’s the trick: if we’re aiming for that promotion, we’ve got to show how it’s a win-win. Maybe we can help our manager by taking some tasks off their plate or stepping up to lead those projects that no one else wants to tackle. The more we can paint a clear picture of how our request benefits others, the more likely we are to get that coveted “yes.” It’s all about making it a win for everyone involved.
- How It Benefits The Company – When we’re putting together our case for self-advocacy, it’s not just about personal gain – we’ve got to consider how it’s a win for the company too. Let’s say we’re eyeing that promotion; we should be thinking, “How does this benefit the big picture?” Maybe it’s a boost to productivity or an extra set of hands to tackle and solve company challenges. The key here is tweaking our request to shine a spotlight on how it’s a win-win for the company as a whole. After all, if we want our managers to sit up and take notice, showing how our ask benefits the company is the way to go.
- How It Benefits Us – Let’s not forget about the “me” part in all of this. When we’re gunning for something like a promotion, it’s totally cool to think about how it benefits us personally. Imagine snagging that promotion – it might mean putting more on the table for our families, or coming home each day with a sense of fulfillment from our work. And here’s the kicker: when we keep our personal motivations in mind, it’s like an extra push to muster the courage and ask for what we truly want. So, it’s all about finding that sweet spot where everyone wins, including ourselves.
Those answers to the “how it benefits others, the company, and ourselves” questions? They’re like puzzle pieces that help us piece together our internal motivations. Once we’ve got a clear picture of why it matters, it’s much easier to find the courage to stand up and advocate for ourselves.
3. Public Speaking
Public speaking isn’t just about those big, fancy stages in front of a sea of faces. It’s also about the everyday moments, like raising our hand in a meeting or having a quick chat with our bosses. So, if we’re aiming to show up with confidence and make our voices heard, we’ve got to cozy up to the idea of public speaking, big or small.
Consider the following:
- Humanize Our Audience – It’s all about humanizing those interactions, especially when we’re dealing with bigwigs or folks with impressive titles. Instead of thinking, “I’m talking to the CEO,” we can shift our mindset to, “I’m having a chat with Brenda.” When we do that, our communication instantly becomes more relaxed and conversational. It’s like taking a deep breath and realizing that, hey, we’re all just people here. This shift in perspective can work wonders for helping us feel more at ease and confident when we speak up.
- Touch-Points – During the Soulcast Media | LIVE event, Aimee shared a smart strategy she uses before her presentations. She’s all about getting the lowdown on her audience, even if it’s a virtual gig. She’ll reach out to folks who’ll be in the crowd, and here’s the magic – it makes her feel like she’s already got a rapport with the audience. So, instead of facing a roomful of intimidating strangers, it’s like she’s talking to friends she’s already connected with. It’s a game-changer for boosting her comfort and confidence when she steps up to speak.
- Music – Music has this amazing ability to stir up emotions, get us pumped up, and even motivate us. Aimee, during the Soulcast Media | LIVE, shared how she harnesses the power of music to supercharge her confidence. Picture this: you’ve got a big presentation on the horizon. Well, you can strategically wield the magic of music to get into the perfect mindset. Just whip up a playlist of your favorite tunes and let it work its magic before you step up to that podium. It’s like having your personal hype squad right in your ear, ready to boost your confidence and help you nail that presentation.
Public speaking is all about practice. We have to humanize our audience and think of them as real people, not just a sea of faces.
Being seen, heard, and valued can truly work wonders in our lives. But here’s the thing, no one’s going to hand us a permission slip to speak up. It’s up to us to seize those opportunities and make our voices heard.
Check out Jessica’s Youtube Channel to see the full LIVE version of Jessica and Aimee’s conversation.
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