You have done the preparation. You know your subject. You have something valuable to contribute. And yet, when the moment comes to speak up in a meeting, something holds you back. Maybe you talk yourself out of it. Maybe someone else jumps in first. Maybe you start to speak and find yourself talked over before you have finished your point.
If that sounds familiar, you are not alone. Research from Brigham Young University and Princeton found that when women are outnumbered in a group, they speak for less than 75% of the time that men do, and that the gap is driven by how the group runs rather than by the women in it (Karpowitz and Mendelberg, 2012). It is not that women have less to say. It is that the dynamics of meetings, and the wider workplace, often make it harder for women’s voices to be heard.
Why speaking up feels harder for women
The challenges women face in making themselves heard are not imaginary. Only 61% of managers say their organisation ensures women and men receive an equal voice in meetings and decision making (Chartered Management Institute, 2022). That is a basic expectation, and in four out of ten workplaces it is not being met.
Confidence plays a part too. 54% of women say they have experienced imposter syndrome at work, compared with 38% of men (Executive Development Network, 2023). For new and aspiring managers, who may already be questioning whether they belong in leadership, the moment before speaking can feel like a test of that belonging.
There is also the double bind that women navigate constantly. When women display assertive, confident behaviour, they can be perceived negatively in ways that men are not. That creates an impossible balancing act. Speak up and risk being seen as aggressive, or stay quiet and risk being overlooked entirely.
Why your voice matters
Despite these challenges, speaking up is not optional if you want to progress. Decisions about who gets the stretch project, who is ready for the next role and whose judgement can be trusted are formed in meetings. If you consistently hold back, you miss the chance to demonstrate your expertise, build your reputation and shape those decisions. Your contributions go unrecognised, and others are promoted while you remain invisible. When you allow yourself to stay silent, you are quietly training people to think it is normal not to hear from you.
Practical strategies for speaking up
The good news is that speaking up is a skill you can develop. It is not about changing your personality or pretending to be someone you are not. It is about building techniques that help you contribute with confidence.
Prepare strategically
Before any meeting, identify one or two points you want to make. Having something prepared reduces the load in the moment and makes it easier to jump in. Think about how your point connects to the wider discussion and frame it in terms of the value it adds.
Speak early
The longer you wait, the harder it becomes. Try to make your first contribution within the first ten minutes, even if it is a clarifying question or a brief agreement with someone else’s point. Once you have spoken once, speaking again feels easier.
Use your body
Sitting up, planting your feet and making eye contact all signal confidence to others and to yourself. Before speaking, take a breath and ground yourself physically.
Claim your space
If you are interrupted, it is fine to say I would like to finish my point, or let me just complete that thought. That is not aggressive. It is professional. You can do it with warmth while still being clear about your right to be heard.
Reframe your thinking
Instead of focusing on whether people will judge your contribution, focus on the value you are adding. You are not speaking up for yourself. You are sharing insight that could help the team make a better decision.
Building executive presence
These strategies help in specific moments, but lasting change comes from developing what is often called executive presence, the ability to communicate with authority, project confidence and command attention. This is not something you are born with. It is something you build through practice and intentional development.
Executive presence includes how you structure your message, the tone and pace of your voice, your body language and your ability to read the room. For women, it also means learning to navigate the double bind with skill, being assertive in ways that feel authentic rather than forced.
This is exactly what structured leadership development can help with. Learnmore’s Management Launchpad programme includes a dedicated workshop called The Power of Voice that focuses on executive presence, constructive communication and assertive speaking. Participants learn practical techniques for commanding attention in meetings and high stakes conversations, in an environment where they can practise and get feedback from peers facing the same challenges.
Learning alongside others
One of the most powerful parts of developing these skills in a group is realising you are not alone. When you hear other capable women describe the same struggles with speaking up, imposter syndrome loses some of its power. You start to see these challenges as systemic rather than personal failings.
The Management Launchpad brings together women at similar career stages, creating a cohort where you can practise, share experiences and build relationships that continue beyond the programme. 98% of our learners say they feel more confident in their role (Learnmore Learner Survey, 2024-25).
Your voice belongs in the room
The women who reach senior leadership are not the ones who waited until they felt completely comfortable speaking up. They are the ones who pushed through discomfort, developed their skills and learned to trust their own voice.
You have valuable perspectives and ideas. Your team and your organisation need to hear them. If speaking up feels difficult right now, that is not a sign that you do not belong. It is a sign that you have something to work on, like every other leadership skill.
Ready to build the communication skills and confidence to make your voice heard? Explore The Management Launchpad and take the first step towards leading with clarity and conviction.
*Our articles are accurate at the time of publication, but course details, funding and industry standards can change. They’re here to inform rather than to replace formal advice, so if you’re weighing up a decision, get in touch and we’ll help you find the right path.
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