Patricia Seabright on raising female voices in business meetings

By Patricia Seabright

Have you ever felt unheard at work? Has a male colleague claimed credit for your idea? Have you sat through meetings dominated by men, while women struggle to make their point heard? Have you witnessed a female manager struggle to be both liked and respected?

For millennial women early in their careers, the ability to speak up and make their voices heard is critical to career success.

She Said! is the new guide by speaking coach Patricia Seabright on the subconscious pressures and setbacks faced by young women, covering how they can leverage their power to make their voices heard.

Be prepared to be a ‘difficult woman’

Women in positions of power with opinions often get a bad reputation – Theresa May was called a ‘bloody difficult woman’ and Hillary Clinton labelled ‘that nasty woman’.

As a result, women are often unwilling to voice their opinions in public forums like panels, presentations, and in meetings.

She Said! Helps women clearly identify the unfair workplace dynamics they face and works to give them the tools they need to succeed in their careers, by offering practical tips on:

• Being comfortable to speak up
• Handling being interrupted
• Vocal quality to build credibility perception
• Using empathy and emotionBody
• language to create status

Research shows that females are interrupted twice as much as men, their ideas are more likely to be appropriated, and they are subject to more criticism. Women’s voices are simply heard less – and She Said! is working to tip the scales and create real change.

Exclusive articles and interviews available concerning male/female business relations

Patricia Seabright is available for expert comment, interview and to write by-lined articles on a range of topics, including:

• Men speak 75% of the time in decision-making groups – what can businesses do to tip the scales?
• Why male leadership coaches aren’t always best for women
• Be prepared to be a ‘difficult woman’ and make yourself heard
• Free-for-all meetings don’t favour women – how to structure your meeting to level the playing field
• 5 phrases to use when interrupted by a man
• Even Michelle Obama is an imposter syndrome sufferer – here’s how to break free
• The ‘likeability paradox’ – why is it difficult for female leaders to be both liked and respected?
• 10 steps for speaking and being heard in meetings
• She Said! A guide for millennial women to speaking and being heard is published by Panoma Press, on 25th November, priced £14.99, available online and from all good bookstores.

Prepared by Patrick O’Brien

About the author:

Patricia Seabright has spent her career in the sales and marketing business and latterly in her own consultancy business, Archimedes Consulting Ltd.

Her focus has always been sales, communication, and influence. She has worked on public speaking coaching with a wide range of senior leaders in business and politics.

One of her proudest achievements recently is to have coached the new female MP who was the first to deliver her maiden speech remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Patricia feels passionately that a gender-balanced world will be a better world, and she is working to help women – especially millennial women – tackle some of the issues and barriers that prevent them from realising their full potential and being heard.

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