4 tips for speaking up Singaporeans must know

In Singapore, we are educated from young to be humble and polite. When it comes to competing in the international business background, we tend to be more reserved in expressing ourselves. Do you feel the same?

You have brilliant ideas and insightful viewpoints, yet you always find yourself struggling to find the good timing to speak up in meetings and discussions.

Even when you speak up, you find you are not being taken seriously and your ideas and opinions are being ignored. Your boss and colleagues therefore think you are incapable and incompetent.

Speaking up in meetings and discussions does not mean to be aggressive and ignore others’ opinions. It means to express your ideas clearly and confidently without criticizing others’ point of view. It is an essential skill for your career advancement.

Researches show people who speak up are more likely to be considered capable and as leaders. You don’t have to be undermined. Speaking up is a skill you can master.

Own your right to be heard

“I’m sorry to interrupt, but …” “May I say something …” Many a time, you may want to sound respectful and humble, but to those who listen to you it’s lack of confidence and seeking approval for expressing your opinion.

You need no apology or approval for speaking up. Own your right to express yourself. In fact, learn to “interrupt”.

American former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright once said in an interview on speaking up in meetings, “You need to learn to interrupt. Ask questions when they occur to you and don’t wait to ask. You don’t need to ask permission to ask a question.”

Don’t let hesitation or waiting for a good timing to speak hold you back.

Establish credibility through your voice

If you saw the movie, The Iron Lady, you would know that Ms. Thatcher, starred by Meryl Steep, was mocked for her screechy voice by all the men in Parliament and her opinion was totally ignored.

An advisor said to her, “The main problem is your voice. It’s too high and has no authority.” Thereafter, Ms. Thatcher went through voice coaching and achieved a reduction of 46 Hz in her voice pitch that projected authority.

High-pitched voice may be heard more often in women. Sounding too young, soft voice and mumble happen to both men and women.

None of these types of voices can be taken seriously. Studies show people associate a deeper voice with credibility and authority.

A voice that fails you in your professional advancement is not something that you have to live with. Seek voice professionals to help you develop a deeper, stronger and more mature voice.

Stop making statements sound like questions

When you are making a statement, does it sound like you are asking a question? You may want to sound humble, but if your tone goes up at the end of a statement, it makes you sound doubtful about yourself and it tells others that you are unsure about your opinions and they don’t need to take it seriously.

That’s not the impression you want to get when you finally speak up. Be more aware of how you end your sentences. Let people hear that you know what you talk about and are confident in your ideas.

Final Words

Many a time, we want to be polite, humble and respectful. We craft our thoughts and phrase our statements, trying not to offend people or sounding arrogant.

The truth is, there’ll always be people disagreeing with you. You can’t possibly please everyone.

Furthermore, pleasing people is not your purpose to speak up after all. Making the meeting productive, getting do-able results and achieving a higher and common objective are your purposes.

Jump right in to make your statement, don’t apologize, don’t ask permissions, and make your words heard and count.