Strong Women, Strong Voices

Strong Women, Strong Voices
Be Authentic. Be Strategic. Be Unafraid.
1
Build on your strengths
• Soft skills: connect to the audience,

be empathic, be authentic.
• Hard prep: organized,

knowledgeable, know my audience. “Organized, clear,
confident”
Survey results of 100 women (sectors energy, finance, mining, manufacturing)

participating in a WPNT presentation skills training and asked about their own
2 weaknesses, and things to improve (2018).
strengths,
Work on your weakness
Confidence and nerves (42%)
Vocal and visual delivery (92%)

“Honestly, I don’t
Q&A and discussion have any currently
Grab and keep attention
identifiable
strengths. I am
mediocre at best. ”
Survey results of 100 women (sectors energy, finance, mining, manufacturing)
participating in a WPNT presentation skills training and asked about their own
3 weaknesses, and things to improve (2018).
strengths,
Indra Nooyi says women need to speak up
On YouTube: Indra Nooyi on Business Leadership:

Women - Speak Up! Indra Nooyi,
Direct link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KRq4_1nX9Y
Former CEO of PepsiCo
4
Connection not perfection
The more you hear, Grab the audience by Rise to the surprise
the less you fear. the right brain
5
Dress to impress
One color, no patterns, Jewelry that is subtle

no busyness, tailored and does not dangle
to fit
Moderate make-up is Sleeves half or full –
more trustworthy than and only tank if you
none or over-the-top have the arms
Polished and groomed Shoes: only wear the
twice as important as heels you can pull off
being attractive
6
Presenting to the Martians
7
VERBAL – The Words We Use
She says… He hears… Our advice

“You might She’s not sure. Minimize the use
consider…” of disclaimers and
hedging words.
“I’d like to…”
“I feel we Use stronger
should try to…” language.
“I will… We are…”
8

Women often She lacks focus. Put the “bottom
elaborate Get to the line” first.
before stating point. Be pithy
their sometimes.
conclusion.
9

Women don’t She might lack Highlight your
often brag experience or credentials and
about our interest. qualifications.
successes or Leaven your talk
experience. with technical
jargon, facts, and
figures.
10
VOCAL – How We Sound
She sounds… He hears… Our advice

Women use He hears Practice ending on
more “up uncertainty. a down note and
speak,” raising adding vocal
their pitch at variety.
the end of
statement.
11

Nervousness He hears Add pauses, vocal
can increase uncertainty, punctuation, and
vocal pace, detachment, variety to convey
flatten delivery, and a lack of confidence and
and impact focus. authority.
your cadence.
12

Women Men may Speak up and
sometimes use assume favor direct
silence to incorrectly she feedback to
withhold concurs or has accurately convey
support or to nothing to your position.
signal contribute.
withdrawal.
13
Sheryl Sandberg challenges women to stand up
Sheryl Sandberg (MBA 1995) speaks at the HBS W50 Sheryl Sandberg,
Summit. Full speech:
Chief Operating Officer of
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6xZRaITLgk
Facebook
14
Strong women, strong voices
Be Strategic.
Be Authentic.
Be Unafraid.
15
Thank you for listening!
If you want to become a more effective communicator, ask
for our training programs:
 Executive Communications Coaching
 Presentation Skills
Dimitri Schildmeijer
 Media Training
Partner WPNT Communications
 Crisis Communications Training
[email protected]
 Stakeholder Engagement Training
 Analyst & Financial Communications www.wpnt.com
16
Additional reading
• Work with Me: The 8 Blind Spots Between Men and Women in Business, Barbara Annis
& John Gray
• Executive Presence: The Missing Link Between Merit and Success, Sylvia Ann Hewlett
• Feminist Fight Club: An Office Survival Manual for a Sexist Workplace, Jessica Bennett
• Hard Ball for Women: Winning at the Game of Business, Pat Heim
• What Works for Women at Work: Four Patterns Working Women Need to Know, Joan C.
Williams & Rachael Dempsey
• The Confidence Code: The Science and Art of Self-Assurance – What Women Should
Know, Katty Kay & Claire Shipman
• How to Say It for Women: Communicating with Confidence and Power Using the
Language of Success, Phyllis Mindell
17
Video clip examples
Christine Lagarde (Leadership Qualities) – https://youtu.be/pXZmBtIxbz0

Christine Lagarde (Command Attention) - https://youtu.be/ECG71e8nXRY
Faith Salie (Vocal Fry) - https://youtu.be/_KHX2zIighc
Indra Nooyi - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KRq4_1nX9Y
Rosalind Brewer - https://youtu.be/aAMdNDpJ1O8
Pat Heim - https://youtu.be/QL8ITtf-c8E
Sheryl Sandberg - https://youtu.be/rWs-N2H57wI
18
BACK UP SLIDES
19
Effective Communicators Are Strategic
YOU
Net
Message 7-10% - WIIFM
Impression
- Emotion
Audience
Business Goal
To inform? To persuade? To motivate?
20

When women She’s The workforce is
are more competent, but changing.
forceful and not likeable.
assertive they
can suffer a
“likeability”
penalty.
21

“We’ve got to She’s not sure. Minimize the use
decide today, of “tag questions”
don’t we?” that might
“It’s a major undermine your
problem, isn’t intent.
it?”
22
VISUAL – How We Look
She looks… He sees… Our advice

Casual attire in A subordinate. Err on the side of
the workplace Women are business attire.
is increasingly seen to have
common. less authority
than men when
both dress
casually.
23

Women (and She agrees with Be mindful of your
men) often nod me; I’m right. signals,
to signal particularly when
listening and to being challenged.
extend rapport.
24

Women often She’s not Sit up straight;
yield physical confident or avoid protective
space in a sure. gestures; hold
meeting or your space. Don’t
encounter, allow a chair to
folding arms dictate your
and legs. posture.
25

Many speakers A lack of Stand and
display anxiety conviction or command;
when authority. move with
presenting purpose; be
(hand wringing, more animated.
shuffling, poor
posture).
26

Women tend to He hears Vary your volume,
speak more uncertainty. pitch, and tone,
softly, and use particularly when
a less forceful making key points.
tone. Breathe
completely.
27

Many young He hears a lack Practice deeper
women today of engagement. and fuller
exhibit “vocal breathing to
fry” in their improve pitch and
speech tone.
patterns.
28

Strong Women, Strong Voices

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Strong Women, Strong Voices

Be Authentic. Be Strategic. Be Unafraid.

• Soft skills: connect to the audience,

• Hard prep: organized,

Survey results of 100 women (sectors energy, finance, mining, manufacturing)

Confidence and nerves (42%)

Vocal and visual delivery (92%)

On YouTube: Indra Nooyi on Business Leadership:

One color, no patterns, Jewelry that is subtle

She says… He hears… Our advice

She says… He hears… Our advice

She says… He hears… Our advice

She sounds… He hears… Our advice

She sounds… He hears… Our advice

She sounds… He hears… Our advice

Christine Lagarde (Leadership Qualities) – https://youtu.be/pXZmBtIxbz0

To inform? To persuade? To motivate?

She says… He hears… Our advice

She says… He hears… Our advice

She looks… He sees… Our advice

She looks… He sees… Our advice

She looks… He sees… Our advice

She looks… He sees… Our advice

She sounds… He hears… Our advice

She sounds… He hears… Our advice

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