🔇 Who hasn’t been in a virtual meeting and started to say something insightful only to discover that no one could hear you?
🤫 But have you ever felt on mute? You are saying words out loud, but you aren’t quite sure that the other person is really hearing you.
Or worse…
You know what you want to say, you know HOW you want to say it, but you put yourself on mute, holding back what you want to say. There are a LOT of reasons why we do this:
😱We may be afraid.
🤔We may not have all of the information.
🔋We, as introverts, may be conserving our energy.
Here’s Why It Matters: By the nature of their personality, introverts face challenges when it comes to speaking up for themselves. Social Penetration Theory suggests that introverts may avoid self-disclosure due to their preference for preserving their inner emotional space.
Their limited tendency towards self-disclosure can hamper their ability to articulate their needs and boundaries effectively. Furthermore, the Transactional Model of Communication highlights communication’s continuous and reciprocal nature, suggesting that introverts’ hesitance can be exacerbated in situations where immediate responses are expected, creating additional pressure that can deter them from speaking up.
In other words, when you use your introversion as a reason not to speak up, you are holding back your gifts, talents, and impact from the world, creating MORE follow-up conversations and clarifications that drain your energy.
So, fellow introverts (yes, I consider myself an introvert), let’s adapt three mindsets to speak up for ourselves!
🎤 Mic Check: Public Speaking Mindsets For Introverts
1.🎙 Humility Is Not Hiding. I hear people hold back their thoughts because they want to be humble. They don’t want others to see them as know-it-alls. Humility is the awareness that you don’t know everything and are open to other people’s ideas; however, humility does not equal hiding. Sometimes OUR ideas ARE the best, and somebody must voice them.
2. 🥴 The More Uncomfortable It Feels, The Better It Looks. Communication is not about comfort: it is about efficacy. Yes, introverts hesitate to speak up because it is uncomfortable for us to be the center of attention, but that discomfort is a cue for GROWTH. Speaking up for an idea that matters is hardly ever comfortable.
3. ✅ You Matter. This is the most important mindset. It seems cliché, right out of an Instagram post with a cute nature background, and yet, it is true: what you say matters. When you DON’T say it, that matters too.
Final thought: I get it. It sometimes feels better to not talk. Not talking is a GREAT skill to learn so that you can find what you really want to say, BUT sometimes that feeling of comfort is not serving you or anyone around you.
Keep speaking up your story,
ENCORE: MORE TO EXPLORE
YOUR VOICE MATTERS: PUBLIC SPEAKING MINDSETS FOR INTROVERTS
Us introverts (yes, I consider myself an introvert) also get to speak up about our stories! We can be leaders, keynote speakers, and professional speakers. Regardless of our role, introverts get unique mindsets when confidently communicating. Click on the button to find out more.
THEN THERE WAS THE TIME I LIVED IN AN INTROVERT CAVE FOR MONTHS…
Okay, it wasn’t a real cave. The time I actually went spelunking was a WILD adventure. This was much more a metaphorical cave that I put myself in. And I am just coming out of the cave.
