How do you empower yourself to be confident in your using your voice?

Published on: September 13, 2022

When presented with the opportunity to write a blog about the power of “voice,” to be honest I had to stop and reflect on: 1. What it meant to have a voice, 2. What it meant to have power, and 3. What it meant to have both things within an institution.

So, after much reflection on the concepts of voice and power, I played with the idea of “what if:” What if I was able to present my thoughts, feelings, concerns, excitement, and victories to people who valued my opinions? Where would this power lead me?

How would this comfort level shift how I enter conversations, how I share my ideas, how I interact with colleagues who may have more years of experience than I do, and how I advocate for myself and others? I asked myself, what power do I hold in speaking my truth, what change could my voice bring to future decisions, and how do I empower myself to use my voice?

While everyone has a voice, being taught how to have ownership of that voice does not come easy to everyone, and in some cases the practice of advocating for yourself or others, setting boundaries, having hard conversations, and saying “no” can be intimidating, even to the most powerful people.

I once read, “we take it for granted, but the ability to use your voice authentically, fearlessly, and confidently is powerful!” So how does one find and use their voice? I have found the following helpful in my practice:

Speak up and be confident in the information you deliver.
Don’t second-guess your voice's value.
Overcome the fear of being wrong.
Get out of your head.
Say it anyway! Acknowledging what you have to say may not resonate with everyone but say it anyway.
Be mindful of your audience and the story you are trying to tell.
Live in your truth.
Do not throw away an opportunity to be heard.

I am a firm believer that “things can’t change if no one knows they need to...” One way to feel empowered in your system is to let your voice be heard through institutional employee surveys. Often in my work with clients, a significant contributor to their unbalanced mental health is unmet expectations within their personal and work life. I always encourage those clients to communicate their needs to ensure their voice is being heard. UT Southwestern provides many opportunities to communicate those needs through engagement surveys that are focused on continuously refining the organizational culture and practices to meet the needs of their employees. When presented with the opportunity to provide feedback, I challenge you to let your voice be heard.

How do you empower yourself to be confident in your using your voice?

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