If a tree falls in the forest and no one can hear it, does it make a sound?

Similarly, if you have a great idea at work but no one hears it, does it make an impact?

Our ultra-connected is full of noise and distractions that can make it difficult for your voice to be heard. It’s never been more important to cut through the noise and speak up. But most people don’t speak up at work and miss out on opportunities to learn and grow.

Here are five things you can do to be heard at work:

  1. Speak up in meetings. This is your biggest opportunity to be heard—meetings are meant for discussion and speaking up. Don’t just sit in the back and nod along. You were invited to the meeting for a reason, so have something to say. If you struggle speaking up in a group, put yourself on the agenda or be the first to speak up before the discussion grows.
  2. Join a committee or employee resource group. Nearly every company has a variety of groups and committees that do everything from plan parties to network with other companies. Find a group that matches your talents and interests and go all in. Actively participate, have an opinion, and volunteer for assignments. Speaking up in a smaller group can extend to speaking up in larger settings.
  3. Participate in internal collaboration platforms. Your company likely uses some form of collaboration tool to share ideas, chat, and stay in touch. Speak up online. Start conversations, join the dialogue, and make your presence known across the company.
  4. Ask questions. If you struggle to share your own ideas, start by asking questions. Ask clarifying questions or for feedback and use those questions as a jumping off point to speak up in the future.
  5. Offer a solution. It’s easy to point out what’s wrong—the challenge is creating and offering positive solutions. Look for problems within your team or company and come up with solutions. Sharing them gives you a platform to make your voice heard and shows that you are a go-getter.

Speaking up at work can be challenging, but you can gain confidence and let your voice be heard with practice. If you want to grow in your career, you have to cut through the noise and speak up.

I put together a video which talks about this in more detail. Please check it out below and if you want more content like this you can subscribe to my Youtube channel.

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