Strong Women, Strong Voices

Be Authentic. Be Strategic. Be Unafraid.

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 Build on your strengths

• Soft skills: connect to the audience,

be empathic, be authentic.

• Hard prep: organized,

knowledgeable, know my audience. “Organized, clear,
confident”

Survey results of 100 women (sectors energy, finance, mining, manufacturing)

participating in a WPNT presentation skills training and asked about their own
2 weaknesses, and things to improve (2018).
strengths,
 Work on your weakness

Confidence and nerves (42%)

Vocal and visual delivery (92%)

“Honestly, I don’t
Q&A and discussion have any currently
Grab and keep attention
identifiable
strengths. I am
mediocre at best. ”
Survey results of 100 women (sectors energy, finance, mining, manufacturing)
participating in a WPNT presentation skills training and asked about their own
3 weaknesses, and things to improve (2018).
strengths,
 Indra Nooyi says women need to speak up

On YouTube: Indra Nooyi on Business Leadership:

Women - Speak Up! Indra Nooyi,
Direct link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KRq4_1nX9Y
Former CEO of PepsiCo

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Connection not perfection

The more you hear, Grab the audience by Rise to the surprise
the less you fear. the right brain

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Dress to impress

One color, no patterns, Jewelry that is subtle

no busyness, tailored and does not dangle
to fit
Moderate make-up is Sleeves half or full –
more trustworthy than and only tank if you
none or over-the-top have the arms
Polished and groomed Shoes: only wear the
twice as important as heels you can pull off
being attractive

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Presenting to the Martians

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VERBAL – The Words We Use

She says… He hears… Our advice

“You might She’s not sure. Minimize the use
consider…” of disclaimers and
hedging words.
“I’d like to…”
“I feel we Use stronger
should try to…” language.
“I will… We are…”

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VERBAL – The Words We Use

She says… He hears… Our advice

Women often She lacks focus. Put the “bottom
elaborate Get to the line” first.
before stating point. Be pithy
their sometimes.
conclusion.

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VERBAL – The Words We Use

She says… He hears… Our advice

Women don’t She might lack Highlight your
often brag experience or credentials and
about our interest. qualifications.
successes or Leaven your talk
experience. with technical
jargon, facts, and
figures.

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VOCAL – How We Sound

She sounds… He hears… Our advice

Women use He hears Practice ending on
more “up uncertainty. a down note and
speak,” raising adding vocal
their pitch at variety.
the end of
statement.

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VOCAL – How We Sound

She sounds… He hears… Our advice

Nervousness He hears Add pauses, vocal
can increase uncertainty, punctuation, and
vocal pace, detachment, variety to convey
flatten delivery, and a lack of confidence and
and impact focus. authority.
your cadence.

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VOCAL – How We Sound

She sounds… He hears… Our advice

Women Men may Speak up and
sometimes use assume favor direct
silence to incorrectly she feedback to
withhold concurs or has accurately convey
support or to nothing to your position.
signal contribute.
withdrawal.

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 Sheryl Sandberg challenges women to stand up

Sheryl Sandberg (MBA 1995) speaks at the HBS W50 Sheryl Sandberg,
Summit. Full speech:
Chief Operating Officer of
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6xZRaITLgk
Facebook

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Strong women, strong voices

Be Strategic.
Be Authentic.
Be Unafraid.

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Thank you for listening!
If you want to become a more effective communicator, ask
for our training programs:
 Executive Communications Coaching
 Presentation Skills
Dimitri Schildmeijer
 Media Training
Partner WPNT Communications
 Crisis Communications Training
dschildmeijer@wpnt.com
 Stakeholder Engagement Training
 Analyst & Financial Communications www.wpnt.com

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Additional reading

• Work with Me: The 8 Blind Spots Between Men and Women in Business, Barbara Annis
& John Gray
• Executive Presence: The Missing Link Between Merit and Success, Sylvia Ann Hewlett
• Feminist Fight Club: An Office Survival Manual for a Sexist Workplace, Jessica Bennett
• Hard Ball for Women: Winning at the Game of Business, Pat Heim
• What Works for Women at Work: Four Patterns Working Women Need to Know, Joan C.
Williams & Rachael Dempsey
• The Confidence Code: The Science and Art of Self-Assurance – What Women Should
Know, Katty Kay & Claire Shipman
• How to Say It for Women: Communicating with Confidence and Power Using the
Language of Success, Phyllis Mindell

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Video clip examples

Christine Lagarde (Leadership Qualities) – https://youtu.be/pXZmBtIxbz0

Christine Lagarde (Command Attention) - https://youtu.be/ECG71e8nXRY
Faith Salie (Vocal Fry) - https://youtu.be/_KHX2zIighc
Indra Nooyi - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KRq4_1nX9Y
Rosalind Brewer - https://youtu.be/aAMdNDpJ1O8
Pat Heim - https://youtu.be/QL8ITtf-c8E
Sheryl Sandberg - https://youtu.be/rWs-N2H57wI

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BACK UP SLIDES

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Effective Communicators Are Strategic

YOU
Net
Message 7-10% - WIIFM
Impression
- Emotion
Audience

Business Goal

To inform? To persuade? To motivate?

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VERBAL – The Words We Use

She says… He hears… Our advice

When women She’s The workforce is
are more competent, but changing.
forceful and not likeable.
assertive they
can suffer a
“likeability”
penalty.

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VERBAL – The Words We Use

She says… He hears… Our advice

“We’ve got to She’s not sure. Minimize the use
decide today, of “tag questions”
don’t we?” that might
“It’s a major undermine your
problem, isn’t intent.
it?”

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VISUAL – How We Look

She looks… He sees… Our advice

Casual attire in A subordinate. Err on the side of
the workplace Women are business attire.
is increasingly seen to have
common. less authority
than men when
both dress
casually.

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VISUAL – How We Look

She looks… He sees… Our advice

Women (and She agrees with Be mindful of your
men) often nod me; I’m right. signals,
to signal particularly when
listening and to being challenged.
extend rapport.

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VISUAL – How We Look

She looks… He sees… Our advice

Women often She’s not Sit up straight;
yield physical confident or avoid protective
space in a sure. gestures; hold
meeting or your space. Don’t
encounter, allow a chair to
folding arms dictate your
and legs. posture.

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VISUAL – How We Look

She looks… He sees… Our advice

Many speakers A lack of Stand and
display anxiety conviction or command;
when authority. move with
presenting purpose; be
(hand wringing, more animated.
shuffling, poor
posture).

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VOCAL – How We Sound

She sounds… He hears… Our advice

Women tend to He hears Vary your volume,
speak more uncertainty. pitch, and tone,
softly, and use particularly when
a less forceful making key points.
tone. Breathe
completely.

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VOCAL – How We Sound

She sounds… He hears… Our advice

Many young He hears a lack Practice deeper
women today of engagement. and fuller
exhibit “vocal breathing to
fry” in their improve pitch and
speech tone.
patterns.

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