How to Stand Out Professionally

We've been conditioned to believe that "good" women make themselves smaller: speak softer, apologize more, defer quicker. But being a leader isn't about shrinking to fit other people's comfort zones. It's about expanding to fill the role that your vision, expertise, and impact deserve. And yet, we still catch ourselves minimizing our contributions in meetings, hedging our statements with "I think maybe..." and literally making ourselves smaller by slouching. We've been taught to be grateful for crumbs when we should be setting the table. That's space abdication. Women: your discomfort with taking up space is someone else's comfort with you staying small. Every time you shrink, you're not just limiting yourself; you're modeling limitation for every woman watching. And trust me, they're watching. (And if you're reading this, you're watching me so I'd BETTER take up space.) Taking up space isn't about becoming aggressive or adopting masculine behaviors (though there's nothing wrong with those either, if they're authentically you). It's about showing up as the full version of yourself, with all your ideas, insights, and yes, your strong opinions intact. Here's your roadmap to claiming your rightful space: 1. Speak first in meetings. Not after you've heard everyone else's thoughts and carefully calibrated your response. Lead with your perspective, then listen and adapt. 2. Stop hedging your expertise. Replace "I'm not an expert, but..." with "In my experience..." You didn't accidentally end up in a leadership role. 3. Take up physical space. Sit forward, not back. Gesture naturally. Use your full vocal range. (I've been accused of not having an "inside voice". Oh well!) Your body language should match the size of your ideas. 4. Own your wins publicly. When someone asks how the project went, don't say "the team was amazing." Say "I'm proud of how I led the team to deliver X results." 5. Interrupt the interrupters. "Let me finish that thought" is a complete sentence. So is "I wasn't done speaking." Your leadership isn't a consolation prize or a diversity initiative. It's a business imperative. The world needs what you bring, but only if you're willing to bring all of it. #womenleaders #communication #executivepresence

Whether you like it or NOT the most important decisions about your career are made when you’re not in the room. Your title Your pay Your opportunities All shaped in conversations you are not invited to. As a former leader and exec I've sat in on them. Years ago, I was up for a promotion in another part of the business. I had just started working with a new manager, and when I asked if she would support my candidacy, she said yes. Later, I found out she told someone I was too junior for the role. She didn’t stop the promotion, but she tried to. What protected me was the brand I had already built. And the advocates who already knew my work. → I led a process improvement project with measurable results → I built trust with leaders beyond my team → I earned visibility through recognition programs That reputation made it easier for others to speak up. And harder for her doubt to carry weight. If you’ve ever had a manager say the right things in public but block you in private, you are not alone. When I became a leader, I made it a point to speak up for my team. Not just when it was easy, but especially when they were not in the room to speak for themselves. Because I know what it feels like when someone stays silent or worse they don't protect you at all. If you want to protect your career, start here: → Be consistent Show up the same way in high-stakes rooms and day-to-day meetings → Be clear Speak in a way that leaves no one guessing what you do or why it matters → Be credible Follow through on what you say, and let your results speak without over-explaining Your boss or [insert here] may not be your biggest advocate. But you can still have a strong campaign. And when you become a leader, do not stay quiet in rooms where decisions are made. Because if your name is going to be spoken, make sure it is by someone who protects it. Who spoke your name when you weren’t in the room? Tag them below and thank them. —- Hi, I’m April, and I specialize in helping women leaders prepare for executive roles by enhancing their influence, presence, and communication skills. Executive Material

Your competence at work is judged in seconds. Even when you over-deliver, you can be underestimated. Every day, false assumptions about you are made: — Polite = Weak — Older = Not agile — A foreign accent = Less capable — Introverted =  Not a strong leader — Woman =  Softer voice, less authority It's not just unfair. It's exhausting. So the question is: How do you beat biases without changing who you are? Here’s what I recommend: 𝟭. 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 → Speak about impact, not effort. → Articulate your value proposition. →“Here’s the problems I solve. Here's how. Here’s the result."  If no one knows what you bring to the table, they won’t invite you to it. 𝟮. 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 Silent excellence is wasted potential. → Speak up when it feels risky. → Build real not just strategic relationships. → Share insights where people are paying attention. You don’t need to be loud. You need to be seen. 𝟯. 𝗧𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 The traits that trigger assumptions? Those are your edge. → Introverted? That’s deep listening. → Accent? That’s global perspective. Don’t flatten yourself to fit. Distinguish yourself to lead. 𝟰. 𝗢𝘄𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 → Say “I recommend” not "I think.” → Hold eye contact. Take up space. → Act like your presence belongs (even when others haven’t caught up.) Confidence isn’t volume. It’s grounding. Bias is everywhere. But perception can be changed. Don't let other people's false assumptions define you. Do you agree? ➕ Follow Deena Priest for strategic career insights. 📌Join my newsletter to build a career grounded in progress, peace and pay.

Most women aren’t struggling with ambition. They’re struggling with permission. To want more. To ask for more. To be more. And it’s not because we don’t have the drive, It’s because we’ve been taught that asking for what we want comes at a cost. “Women don’t advocate for themselves.” That’s the diagnosis. But let’s talk about the conditioning that created this symptom. 🧠 From a young age, we were trained to betray our own instincts in the name of likability. When we spoke up, we were told to be polite. When we led, we were labeled bossy. When we stood our ground, we were deemed difficult. Then we entered the workplace. And suddenly, those same qualities - assertiveness, clarity, ambition - became the ticket to success. Except now, they came with a cost: ⚡️ The likability backlash ⚡️ The ambition tax ⚡️ The invisible double standard So when people ask, “Why don’t women advocate for themselves?” I always ask back: “Why would they - when the price has always been higher than the reward?” During the group coaching session of our "Transform from Hidden Talent to Visible Leader" online program, one pattern showed up across the board: 👉 A hesitation to own their success. 👉 A discomfort with visibility. 👉 A learned fear of being “too much.” Not because they lacked value. But because no one taught them how to advocate without guilt or backlash. Here are 3 truths no one puts in leadership books: 💥 1. Self-advocacy is a continuous act of honoring your future self. Self-advocacy isn’t just about today, it’s about shaping the future you want. Every decision you make should align with where you want to be, not just where you are. • Say no to distractions that pull you away from your long-term goals. • Prioritize yourself by making decisions that build your future, not just serve immediate needs. Your future self will thank you. 💥 2. Stop asking for permission through politeness. How often do you hear: “Sorry to interrupt…” “This might not make sense, but…” “Just a thought…” Delete the disclaimer. Start with your point. You’re not a guest in the room. 💥 3. Your work will not speak for itself. It never has. And that’s not your fault. But it is your responsibility to make it visible. Strategically. Boldly. Without apology. If this resonates, and you’re in a season of wanting to be seen -  not just for what you do, but for who you are when you lead Join the waitlist for our next cohort of From Hidden Talent to Visible Leader - a 4-week online experience for women who are ready to advocate for themselves with clarity, strategy, and quiet power. It’s not about becoming louder. It’s about becoming more you. ✨ Link in comments #HiddenTalentToVisibleLeader #WomenInLeadership #TheElevateGroup #PowerfullyYou #UnlearnToRise

Have you ever been told you are too quiet? Maybe you don’t speak up enough so, “people worry about your leadership skills.” Or, you don’t advocate enough for yourself so, “you aren’t taking control of your career like a natural born leader.” If so, this article is for you. Maybe you’ve received feedback that there is concern over your analytical skills and “quant chops.” Or, there is some general, yet vague, feedback that leadership worries, “you lack that killer instinct.” Or, maybe it’s the opposite and you are “too bossy” or “too opinionated.” Have you heard any of these things?  I have over my career. Instead of letting them control my path, I got upset, then angry, then curious. I decided that none of these descriptions were really a good read on me, or my leadership potential, and I decided to change the perception. You can too. I’ve interviewed hundreds of women in senior leadership over the years and one thing is clear: we’re navigating a constant push and pull. Be strong, but not too strong. Be likable, but not too soft. Show your ambition, but don’t make anyone uncomfortable. Women aren’t just doing the job, they’re doing the extra work of managing how they’re perceived while they’re doing the job. We wrote this piece for HBR because it’s important for women to know how to not only subvert stereotypes and shape how others see them, but to do it without losing themselves in the process. Too many of us think there is nothing we can do when we hear feedback that doesn’t feel quite right. Sometimes, there are actions we can take. I love this piece so much because it says we don’t have to be victim to the stories about us or around us, we can do something about it.   1️⃣ Craft a counternarrative – Instead of internalizing biased feedback, reshape how people see you by aligning your strengths with what the organization values (on your terms!). 2️⃣ Use positive association – Enthusiasm and future-focused language can subtly shift others’ assumptions  and build trust. 3️⃣ Turn feedback into power – Don’t immediately accept or reject it, investigate it. Use it to understand what success looks like in your environment, and then find authentic ways to express that in your own leadership style. So if you’ve ever felt like your success depends not just on what you do, but how you’re seen…you’re not imagining it. Especially in times of economic uncertainty and shifting priorities, it becomes even more pronounced. And while there are no one-size-fits-all strategies, when women take control of their story, they open doors for themselves AND others. Let’s stop contorting ourselves to fit outdated models. We can rewrite the models themselves. Let me know what you think. https://lnkd.in/gcCSE7XW Colleen Ammerman Harvard Business Review Lakshmi Ramarajan Lisa Sun

If I had to redo my corporate career, here’s what I’d do differently. I wouldn’t have stayed silent in meetings, waiting for someone to notice my value. I wouldn’t have softened my opinions to make them palatable. I wouldn’t have played small, thinking that hard work speaks for itself. (Spoiler: It doesn’t.) If I could go back, I’d grab the mic, own the stage, and show up like I belonged—because I did. Dear Younger Anna, 1. Take up space. Speak up. Own the room. Every meeting, every panel, every time someone hands you a mic—it’s a stage. Stop waiting to be invited into the conversation. Start leading it. 2. Stop over-explaining yourself. You don’t need to justify your presence. You don’t need to prove you belong. You do. Say what you need to say, then stop. Let the silence do the heavy lifting. 3. Selling yourself isn’t cringey—it’s necessary. Storytelling is sales. And if you’re not selling your ideas, your expertise, or your leadership, someone less qualified but more vocal will (and he did). 4. Play the game—but on your terms. Corporate life has rules. Learn them. Then break the ones that don’t serve you. 5. Take more risks, earlier. The biggest leaps—leaving banking, stepping into storytelling, launching What's Your Story Slam— were the ones that changed everything. The best things happen when you stop waiting and start doing. 6. Build your network. Find your people. The right conversations open the right doors. (Sitting at your desk hoping to be noticed doesn’t.) 7. You’re more than a job title. Your worth isn’t measured in promotions or performance reviews. It’s in the impact you make, the stories you tell, and the people you uplift. Would my younger self listen? Probably not. But if you’re reading this, maybe you will. Love, Wise Anna (who learned these things the hard way) 👉 What’s one piece of advice you’d give your younger self? #Leadership #Storytelling #CareerGrowth

A highly qualified woman sat across from me yesterday.   Her resume showed 15 years of C-suite experience. Multiple awards. Industry recognition.   Yet she spoke about her success like it was pure luck.   SEVENTY-FIVE PERCENT of female executives experience this same phenomenon.   I see it daily through my work with thousands of women leaders. They achieve remarkable success but internally believe they fooled everyone.   Some call it imposter syndrome. I call it a STRUCTURAL PROBLEM.   Let me explain...   When less than 5% of major companies have gender-balanced leadership, women question whether they belong.   My first board appointment taught me this hard truth.   I walked into that boardroom convinced I would say something ridiculous. Everyone seemed so confident.   But confidence plays tricks on us.   Perfect knowledge never exists. Leadership requires:   • Recognising what you know • Admitting what you miss • Finding the right answers • Moving forward anyway   Three strategies that transformed my journey:   1. Build your evidence file Document every win, every positive feedback, every successful project. Review it before big meetings. Your brain lies. Evidence speaks truth.   2. Find your circle Connect with other women leaders who understand your experience. The moment you share your doubts, someone else will say "me too."   3. Practice strategic vulnerability Acknowledging areas for growth enhances credibility. Power exists in saying "I'll find out" instead of pretending omniscience.   REALITY CHECK: This impacts business results.   Qualified women: - Decline opportunities - Downplay achievements - Hesitate to negotiate - Withdraw from consideration   Organisations lose valuable talent and perspective.   The solution requires both individual action and systemic change.   We need visible pathways to leadership for women. We need to challenge biased feedback. We need women in leadership positions in meaningful numbers.   Leadership demands courage, not perfect confidence.   The world needs leaders who push past doubt - not because they never experience it, but because they refuse to let it win. https://lnkd.in/gY9G-ibh

I spent 10 years being the workplace's best-kept secret. Then I learned the brutal truth about visibility. It wasn't that I wasn't working hard enough. It wasn't that I lacked talent. It was that I thought my work would speak for itself. Spoiler: It doesn't. Here's what changed everything: Visibility isn't about being loud. It's about being clear. After a decade of watching less-qualified people get promoted ahead of me, I finally understood the difference: 𝗖𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁.  Not just what you do — but what changes because of it. 𝗖𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀.  Not vague aspirations — but specific outcomes you're driving toward. 𝗖𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲.  Not a laundry list of skills — but the unique difference only you can make. The shift was immediate. Here's what I learned after 10+ years helping leaders build their presence: 𝟭/ 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲. Just be unmissable in the spaces that matter. 𝟮/ 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝗮 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 — 𝘆𝗼𝘂. Frame it. Contextualize it. Show why it matters. 𝟯/ 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲. Start building before you need it. The worst time to get visible? When you're desperate for it. Your work deserves to be seen. Your voice deserves to be heard. Your impact deserves recognition. Not because you're bragging. Because you're leading. The world needs what you have to offer. But first? They need to know it exists. Stop being the best-kept secret. Start being the obvious choice. ⭐ 💭 Were you ever the "best-kept secret" at work? What finally changed things for you? * * * * * * 👋I'm Lorraine—keynote speaker and bestselling author. I help rising leaders build an unforgettable presence and stand out at work. Follow for more actionable career tips! ♻️ Reshare if this resonated with you! 📘PS: Want more strategies for building executive presence? Check out 𝙐𝙣𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙋𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 here: https://amzn.to/3Hdv79r 

Marsha was in her 50s and hoping to make a career pivot. "Have I got chance?" she asked me. I'll tell you what I told her: Ageism in the job market is real. But, if you are prepared, you can overcome the obstacles. It had been years since she'd applied or interviewed for a job. We worked together on her resume, LinkedIn, networking, and interviewing to package her for the job she wanted. When she called to say she'd gotten an offer for a great new job in pharma, with a 30% pay increase, I was jumping up & down!! I want to be clear that this was not easy. It took a lot of focus. Here is the multi-pronged approach we worked on together: 🎯 Resume Strategy: ↳ Focus on impact ("Delivered $2M in savings" vs "25 years of experience") ↳ Go back no more than 15 years  ↳ Highlight current technical skills, leave off old ones ↳ Take the graduation year off all degrees ↳ Contact info should include only city, state (no street address) ↳ Ditch the AOL, and hotmail email addresses; they date you 🌐Networking Strategy: ↳ Reconnect with former colleagues & give them an update ↳ Practice talking about your skills and abilities ↳ Speak to others who've successfully overcome the age barrier ↳ Make sure your LinkedIn profile follows best practices ↳ Work toward 500+ connections ↳ Post and comment on LinkedIn weekly 🏢 Employer Strategy: ↳ Target 40-50 companies with age-diverse cultures ↳ Talk to people in similar roles & ask about key skills ↳ Ask HR/recruiters about their hiring process ↳ Follow each employer on social media to learn priorities 💡 Interview Strategy: ↳ Lead with energy and genuine interest ↳ Show you've done your research with deep preparation ↳ Be ready with stories that include cross-generational work ↳ Share examples of your adaptability and growth mindset ↳ Talk about new skills you've built and show you're on top of trends ↳ Communicate your experience working with diverse people 🤵🏼Personal Strategy: ↳ Take additional courses & certifications to keep your skills fresh ↳ Stay current in your field with podcasts and social media ↳ Make reasonable adjustments to your appearance ↳ Clothes should fit well and be current, but not "trendy" ↳ Avoid language that "dates" you (ask a trusted younger friend) Remember: You're not "overqualified" You have battle-tested wisdom. That, along with these strategies, will set you up as a strong candidate! ♻ Repost to help people who are facing ageism in their job search 🔔 Follow Sarah Baker Andrus for more strategic career insights

This message stopped me in my tracks. I had to re-read it several times—it filled me with joy. A few days ago, someone reached out after listening to my interview on the Have A Seat podcast. She was preparing for a high-stakes business meeting—her first in a long time. She was: — The youngest in the room — One of only two women — The quietest — The most junior — And filled with self-doubt And yet—she made one of the strongest impressions. She applied some of the practical strategies I shared to embrace her quiet confidence and speak up. By the end of the day, not only was her voice heard—she was praised by the most senior leader in the room. Her words? “I never thought anyone understood what it was like in my head.” I’m sharing this because so many people—especially women and introverted professionals—assume they have to become someone else to lead powerfully. You don’t. You don’t need to be loud to lead. This story is a reminder that quiet leadership is powerful leadership—and when you work with your personality, not against it, you create real impact. To anyone doubting if they belong in the room, you do. This is why I do what I do. 💛 #Leadership #QuietConfidence #PersonalImpact #ExecutivePresence #CareerSuccess Lily Woi Coaching Limited