SPEAK UP: Be an Advocate (Article #4 in series)

by Joy Leach, Tina Jackson, and Kim Shope, PRI Leadership

Working on your own presentation skills is a necessary step to serving as a source of support for others who want to do the same. You have to use your voice to make room for other voices. However, not all presentation happens out loud. In the opening to these articles, we mentioned that you are always presenting—when you email, when you’re on a call, when you’re walking to a meeting. You are also presenting when you listen to others.

We have a colleague who, no matter what presentation she’s sitting in on, the presenter ends up looking straight at her. What does she do to garner that attention? She listens. She pays attention. She doesn’t fiddle with her phone or doodle on her notepad. She leans forward, watches, nods—she shows the presenter that their voice is being heard. 

When you listen, really listen, you start to hear things that maybe you didn’t notice before. You start to notice who isn’t speaking, who is being interrupted, who takes up the most air time, who ignores the conversation. You may hear things that are misinterpreted or thoughts that weren’t given much room to breathe. 

Be an advocate. If you find yourself in this situation, speak up and take that air time back from whoever is dominating the conversation. Return to the statement or question that was interrupted. Ask to hear from everyone in the room, and do what you can to encourage other voices to chime in. By establishing conversational boundaries and maintaining them throughout the meeting, you create inclusivity around the table because you are an advocate for everyone’s voice.  

Be an advocate checklist

  • Actively listen

  • Stay present

  • Help all voices be heard

Reflections

  • Notice the situations in which you actively step forward as an ally…and when you do not.  

  • Pay attention to the non-verbal messages you send when you are an audience member.  How is your eye contact?  Posture? How do you convey your presence and support for others when you are on the phone?  

Ready to Stretch?

  • When you are tempted to tune out of a conversation or half-listen, listen more keenly. Strive to hear what is not being said or is just under the surface of the conversation.  

  • Challenge yourself to be an ally in every meeting/call you are in.   

Maris Goodstein