Ever feel like you’re being overlooked – even when you’re speaking up?
Last time, we explored “Are We Really Having a Conversation?” This was how, when we shift from broadcasting to connecting, we change the dynamic of relationships – at work, at home, and in ourselves.
If you missed it, you can catch up here
You prepare, contribute, show up with ideas… and yet it feels like you’re invisible.
Many professionals feel this, and yet rarely articulate the subtle, frustrating experience of not being taken seriously, even when they’re saying the right things.
It’s not just frustrating. It’s demoralising.
And you start to question yourself:
“Am I unclear?”
“Am I lacking confidence?”
“Is it because I’m not senior enough?”
Here’s the hard truth:
It’s not always what you’re saying – it’s how others have already decided to hear you.
Possible Reasons:
Somewhere along the way, professionals were taught to:
– Shrink their voice to sound “non-threatening”
– Add softeners to avoid sounding “too confident”
– Wait for space instead of taking it
We don’t always notice how we’ve been trained to disappear.
Could some of the following invisible habits be undermining your credibility:
– Are you using softeners and filler words such as: “like”, “actually”, “just,” “maybe,” “kind of” etc?
– Are you speaking in an apologetic tone in some way without realising it?
– Are you over-explaining things?
– Could your body language be saying something different to your message?
Feeling invisible isn’t a personal failure. It’s often the result of invisible dynamics – and learned and habitual communication patterns.
If this is happening to you, I invite you to ask yourself:
“What do I unconsciously do that might make my voice smaller than it really is?”
If you are a leader and you want to encourage others to speak up more, you could ask them that question.
And a gentle reminder…
Being overlooked doesn’t mean you’re not worth listening to. Sometimes it just means it’s time to reclaim your voice.
Now, here’s the thing …
It is not about turning up the volume or quickening your pace! It is not the loudest person in the room who is being taken seriously either.
It is all about how you influence others i.e., by actively listening, asking relevant and powerful questions, remaining calm and assertive and owning your own views as you present them.
“You can influence people without being the loudest voice in the room.”
– Malala Yousafzai (Nobel Peace Prize Winner) –
With warmest wishes,
Korinne Le Page
Thrive Coaching & Training – Empowering You to Thrive!
P.S. Feel free to share your experiences and insights!
P.P.S. Book a complimentary Clarity Session with me here
#Communication #ThoughtForTheWeek #ThriveCoachingTraining #Connection #Leadership #Listening #FeelingInvisible