What You’re Saying About Yourself When You Fail To Speak Up

The Speak Up! Series

I know how hard it can be to speak up. The fear, the nerves, the voices inside of your head. Everything is telling you that you’re going to screw this up.

While you may have that little voice inside of your head telling you that you could mess this up, there’s something this voice isn’t telling you. The voice inside your head isn’t telling you what you’re saying about yourself when you fail to speak up.

Man in blue jeans and a button up jacket covering his face

Photo by Rachel Lynette French

What You’re Saying About Yourself When You Fail To Speak Up

You may be surprised at what you’re saying when you don’t speak up. Your silence is speaking volumes to those you lead and who lead you. When you fail to speak up, you are saying:

  • I don’t have anything to contribute
  • My fear of being rejected is more than my excitement over this idea

You Have A Voice. Be Heard!

The Speak Up! Series

Guys… There’s something I need to open up to you about. I struggle with an issue that affects my ability to lead well. It’s hard to admit this but I have difficulty speaking up and being heard.

Yup, you heard me right. I struggle to share my thoughts and opinions with those I work with and lead.

A gray and black condenser microphone

Photo by Hrayer Movsisyan

How can this be? Don’t I share my thoughts and ideas on this website? Don’t I let people know how I feel through emails and social media? I do but speaking up and sharing on these platforms is different than speaking up and sharing in real life.

Has Your Voice Been Silenced?

I know I have a voice. I know YOU have a voice as well. But speaking up and using the voice we have? This can be scary.

5 Tricks To Create A Consistent Writing Habit

It’s my belief that every leader should be writing. Whether it’s writing a blog like this one or writing a book, a leader who writes down his thoughts is able to touch more lives.

But a complaint that I often hear is that there’s no time to write. There’s no way I would be able to squeeze any more into my day.

While I don’t doubt your days are packed, I know you can still find time to create a consistent writing habit.

Create a consistent writing habit

Before you call me out and say that I have more time than you, let me share what my average day looks like:

6:30AM – Wake up, get ready for the office

7:30AM – Leave for the office

8:00AM – Arrive at the office and begin my day

5:00PM – Leave the office and head home

4 Simple Ways To Grow Your Influence As A Leader

The most powerful leaders have an advantage over other leaders. These leaders know influence is power. And they know how to grow their influence.

The tactics these powerful leaders use aren’t very difficult to master. In fact, the steps to grow your influence are very simple.

Simple ways to become influential

Image by Sean MacEntee

I think anyone who’s been leading for any time has heard the classic John Maxwell quote:

Leadership is influence

Maxwell broke down leadership and put it into the simplest terms possible.

So why do so many leaders eschew the principle that leadership is influence? Rather, there’s many leaders who go for the leadership is power viewpoint. These leaders try to lead with an iron fist.

Leading this way often backfires and you see these power-hungry leaders quickly fade away.