188 - How to Speak Up in Meetings with Senior Leaders

As a self-diagnosed neurodiverse, big-picture thinker, who bounces between ideas and projects, I tell myself I’m not consistent. I further tell myself that consistency is a key ingredient to ‘success’ and so, it follows, that if I’m not consistent I can’t be successful. The thing is, I have evidence that proves I AM consistent. I have a 606 day streak on insight timer, and an 88% consistency rating on my health app. So, in this week’s episode I’m sharing what I think is the link between consistency and confidence, and how I’m ‘hacking’ my apparent love of streaks to develop consistency, and confidence, in other areas of my life. Listen in to hear: The role of consistency in building confidence

You can’t speak with confidence if you’ve ‘lost’ your professional confidence … and I’ve had too many conversations lately about ‘how to get your confidence back’ to ignore. So in this episode I’m chatting about the times that I’ve lost my professional confidence, and some techniques I use to get it back. Listen in to hear: What’s caused me to lose my confidence at different times of my professional life, both as a business owner as well as when I was working in local government

Most people shy away from the thought of being noticed, let alone ‘famous’. But if you want to make a difference, grow a business, make an impact or even just get promoted, a bit of ‘work fame’ might be just what you need. Leanne Hughes has written the book she wishes she had 10 years ago, providing a real look at how everyday people become ‘work famous’ and in doing so, make a bigger impact in their world (without being a diva). Listen in to our discussion to hear: Why ‘good work’ no longer speaks for itself and why you need to toot your own horn a bit more

How do we find the courage, or the skill, to speak up for issues we feel strongly about when there is a real risk of consequences? That’s exactly what I’m exploring in this episode. I’ve recently decided to focus my ‘change the world’ energies into one cause - housing affordability - and in doing so I’ve had to confront my concerns about negative consequences. Being seen as ‘political’. Being seen as a left-wing hippie (proud to be one, if I’m honest). Potentially losing work because of my views. There can be real risks that need to be managed when we speak up, so I’m sharing the process, the thinking, that I’m using to feel ‘safe enough’ to speak up. Listen in to hear: Why ‘feel the fear and do it anyway’ is shitty advice

If you overthink or second guess how you're going to express yourself in team meetings, this episode is for you. In our reluctance to NOT appear 'bossy' we sometimes overthink our messages, try to facilitate a discussion when really, our recommendation is appropriate and prioritise consensus over getting things done. Inspired by a real conversation in my Communicate with Impact program, in this episode I'm sharing some practical and mindset tips to help you say what you want to say, with authority and credibility, without sounding pushy, bossy without feeling awkwardly assertive. Listen in to hear: Mindset shifts for confident recommendations How to own your expertise in meetings Language hacks to soften any potential harshness Moving from asking for permission to making direct recommendations The impact of imposter syndrome on speaking up