How to Find Your Voice and Use It for Good
The Mountain Bluebird’s feathers are much more flashy than its song.
When I was in fifth grade, my teacher announced a reading challenge. She taped a poster on the blackboard with all of our names listed, and after each name were squares to fill with star stickers for each book we read. If we read a certain number of books by the determined date, we could have a pizza party, but students who didn’t read the number of books required would have to sit in the hallway during the party.
Star stickers, a deadline, and a pizza party for a reward are all this girl needs to get the job done. Of course, I read all the books. But as the deadline neared, it became clear not everyone was reading all the books. I looked at the poster and noticed the names of the kids who didn’t have as many star stickers as I did. Some of them were my friends.
I don’t know the words I used back then, but I do remember a very passionate and tearful conversation with my teacher. It wasn’t fair. Did it really matter if they didn’t read the books? Couldn’t everyone participate in the pizza party? Whatever I said must have been convincing, because no one sat in the hallway the day of the pizza party. Everyone celebrated together how many books we had read as a class.
Clearly, I have always been a fairly assertive person, and especially because one of my biggest strengths is empathy, I am often compelled to speak up for others. However, it hasn’t always been easy for me to find my voice. It can feel really scary to be the one who finally says what everyone else was thinking. It can be even more scary when you realize what you said is not the most popular opinion.
It has taken me a while to get here, but I am attempting to be truer to myself and speak out on issues that I feel are important. More than anything, I don’t want to let myself down, but I also know that if I stand up for my personal beliefs, it may affect my business.
During these challenging times, we all are wondering anew how to navigate difficult community conversations. Businesses, organizations, and brands that speak up regarding social issues have a lot of opportunities to get it wrong. You can alienate clients, customers, and sponsors. You can anger employees and board members. But if you don’t take a stand and stay silent, you could disappoint the most important person, and that’s yourself.
So how do you speak up and do it well? Here are some tips for finding your voice and setting it apart in the midst of so many competing opinions.
Start from a place of authenticity. The more genuine your message, the more trust you will earn, even if you don’t get every word quite right. The issues of today deserve messages from the heart, not canned talking points without emotion or personal connection.
Know your audience. Who are the people you are trying to reach? Who might hear your message outside of that target audience? What do they need to hear? How will they feel when hearing this message? How do you want them to respond to what you say? The biggest mistake you can make is not understanding your target audience or assuming only they will hear what you say.
Use real words. Beating around the bush matters zero. You have to actually say the hard words. If you want to condemn racism, you have to use that word. If you need to apologize for past insensitive or hurtful language, you need to say you are sorry. It’s that simple.
Tell people who you are. Use this as a time to reevaluate your values and your brand. What does your company or organization believe? In light of what is happening around you, what services can you offer and how do you want your customers to feel? Make sure your audience knows the standards your company is held to.
Be brief. Remember, we still are in the midst of three crises in our country: a pandemic, a recession, and now social unrest. People under stress have difficulty hearing, understanding, and remembering information. Even statements regarding complex issues should be short, concise, and in plain language. Find other practical tips for communicating during crisis in my previous blog post.
Put your words into action. Your audience can see through all the lip service, and the public wants a genuine response backed up with quick action. Words certainly matter, but actions prove our words.
As an adult looking back on the fifth-grade reading challenge, I wonder why those kids didn’t read the books. Were they not as motivated by star stickers and pizza? Was reading a lot harder for them than it was for me? Did they not have the support of their parents at home? Were they dealing with bigger issues than I knew?
These questions never crossed my mind back then. I just couldn’t bear to see anyone sitting in the hall while the rest of us ate pizza and laughed. That memory from decades ago is driving me to do what I can to make sure no one else is left out today, and the words I use matter more than ever.