Women's Month
Raising Your Voice - Fact 7
THE WOMAN PROJECT — Woman Fact 7
She said it first. He repeated it two minutes later and got the credit. Her voice was never the problem, the room's willingness to hear it was.
READ IT
I once made a point in a meeting. A man made the same point two minutes later, and the room reacted like it was brand new information. Researchers actually have a name for this exact pattern, "hepeating."
One well-known study found women's contributions were rated "balanced" only when they spoke 25% of the time or less. The moment a woman spoke 30% or more, she was seen as dominating, a threshold that simply doesn't exist the same way for men.
Here's the truth worth saying louder than the room ever did: her voice was never too much. A room that only feels comfortable with a small, quiet slice of her isn't measuring her correctly. Her full voice, unedited, is exactly the right amount.
SAY IT
Practice this phrase out loud today: "I wasn't finished, and I'm not shrinking this down for anyone."
THINK IT
Think of a time your idea was repeated by someone else and suddenly taken seriously. What does it feel like to know your voice was right the first time, all along?
CHALLENGE IT
Next time someone talks over you, say, calmly, "Sorry, I wasn't finished," and keep going, at your full volume, not a smaller one. Raise the bar, increase the decibels.
