Your Voice Is Your Superpower: Why Silence Isn’t an Option
Listen to this episode on the Purpose + Profit Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or the podcast player of your choice.
I recently finished reading, “The Small and Mighty” by Sharon McMahon, a book about twelve unsung heroes in U.S. history. With the telling of each story, many of which are about women who challenged the status quo around education, the role of women, slavery…, it reinforced my deep belief that there’s power in a woman’s ideas and her voice. History proves it.
And yet, as women, we often hold back—questioning whether we’re the right person to speak, worrying about how we’ll be perceived, or wondering if our words will even make a difference.
As I reflect on these stories and the stories of countless others, there is no doubt that women have played pivotal roles in nearly every major social, political, and scientific movement throughout history.
Malala Yousafzai was shot for demanding education for girls. She survived—and is using her voice to ignite a global movement, advocating for women’s rights and education.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg, one of our beloved U.S. Supreme Court Justices, argued landmark cases that reshaped gender equality laws in the U.S. She spent decades using her voice to dismantle systemic discrimination despite facing countless setbacks and loads of opposition along the way (If you haven’t already, I highly recommend watching On The Basis Of Sex on Netflix).
Angelina Grimké stood before the Massachusetts Legislature in 1838—the first woman in U.S. history to do so—to denounce slavery. In doing so, she defied the racial and gender norms of the time and opened herself up to harassment and violence.
Shirley Chisholm shattered barriers as the first Black woman elected to the U.S. Congress in 1968 and later became the first Black woman to run for president. Her refusal to be silenced—despite relentless obstacles from every angle—proved that a woman’s voice in leadership isn’t just valuable, it’s necessary.
Rosalind Franklin’s research was instrumental in discovering DNA’s double helix, but her contributions were largely ignored until the late 1990s. While she wasn’t given the recognition she deserved while she was alive, there is no doubt that her work literally changed the course of history. She is now considered one of the pioneering women in science.
These are just a few of the stories that show us how women’s voices changed the course of history.
So as you’re thinking through these stories, I hope you’re seeing that the question isn’t “Should I speak up?”
The question is: What happens if you don’t?
What Happens When Women Stay Silent
When women hold back, the world loses. In fact, it was Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, a Pulitzer Prize-winning historian, who coined the phrase "well-behaved women seldom make history."
Silence isn’t neutral. It’s often mistaken for neutrality, but in reality, silence is a decision—one that can either uphold wrong-doing and injustice or fuel progress. Here’s why:
1. Silence Maintains the Status Quo
Systems of inequality, oppression, and exclusion continue when they are not challenged.
When women don’t speak up in their communities, in the industries where they work, in boardrooms, politics, science, and media, decisions are made without their perspectives, experiences, or leadership. Which means the people who are often closest to the problem are left out of the solution-making process.
One of my favorite quotes from Shirley Chisholm is, “If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.” Because if we stay silent the “powers that be” may never know you even wanted one.
2. Your Dreams Die Quietly
How many times have you held back a great idea, fearing judgment? Criticism?
How often have you waited for someone else to say what you were thinking?
Silence isn’t just about the world missing out—it’s about you missing out on your own potential.
It shows up in the book you never write, the business you never launch, or the opportunities you miss out on because you were waiting for just the right moment.
I get it. It’s scary as hell to stick your head above the fray. I don’t take the call for saying and doing more lightly. And I recognize often that for women in some communities we’re talking about life and actual death.
That’s why it’s all the more important for those of us who can - those who have the protective factors of privilege - to use our voices and say the thing.
Your silence doesn’t protect you. It only guarantees that your impact never reaches the people who need it.
3. The Next Generation Stays Stuck
Young women are watching. When they see you hesitate, they learn to hesitate, too. As the mom of a teenage girl, this is something that is always on my mind. What is she learning from me? What is she hearing from me? What am I reinforcing in her mind when I don’t fight back against behaviors, teaching, and conditioning that is designed to make her “play nice”?
Visibility has a ripple effect. I know I say that a lot, but when one woman steps up, she clears the way for others to do the same. She reinforces that we’re not alone. It’s insanely powerful.
Your Voice = Your Impact
The women who came before us didn’t just speak for themselves; they spoke for those who couldn’t.
They challenged power structures. They broke glass ceilings. They paved the way so that women today could run businesses, vote, lead, and make their voices heard.
It’s on us to do the same.
We get to look at the industries in which we’re working and identify the issues or challenges that need to be addressed. We get to push back on injustice, serve differently - better - and make the communities and the world we live in a better place. A kind, more equitable, and more just place.
The women before us saw the gaps and problems in their industries and communities, in laws and in business, and used their ideas and their voices to change the narrative. They didn’t wait for permission. They spoke up, took up space - literally and physically - and changed the game.
Now it’s your turn.
The world doesn’t need you to be perfect. It needs you to have courage.
You don’t need to be fearless. You just need to decide that your voice matters more than your fear, uncertainty, and doubt.
Your Call to Rise
I’ve said this often, especially in the context of my BOLT™ framework. Speaking up isn’t about being the loudest person in the room; it’s about making sure your voice is heard in the spaces where it matters most.
So, what does that look like?
Speak up where you’ve been silent. In meetings. On the stages of your own making™ (eg your blog or podcast, actual stages you’re speaking on, social media…). In your industry forums.
Tell your story. You’ve overcome challenges. You’ve worked hard for your expertise and learned experiences. Someone else needs to hear them. That’s why the O in the BOLT™ framework is one of your most powerful differentiation tools.
Surround yourself with women who are also stepping into visibility. Being seen and heard is easier when you’re not doing it alone, and it’s one of the biggest reasons I created the Big Idea Incubator.
Take one bold action this week. Say yes to the opportunity you’ve been avoiding. Share the idea you’ve been sitting on, the one that has the potential to blow your thought leadership wide open. Go all in.
Your Voice Is Needed—Right Now
There will never be a “perfect” time to start using your voice. There will always be a reason to wait. There will always be voices, in our heads and in the ecosystem, that make us want to shrink. To stay safe.
But here’s what I want you to know: Your voice is already powerful. You just have to decide to use it.
If you’re ready to step into visibility, to own your voice, and to finally start making the impact you know you’re meant to make, I want to invite you to my Visibility Breakthrough Workshop.
In this workshop, you’ll learn how to:
Overcome the fear of speaking up.
Articulate your message with clarity and confidence.
Show up in a way that feels authentic and powerful.
Because staying silent is a choice.
But so is stepping into your power.
Click here to register for Visibility Breakthrough Workshop today.
The world is waiting for your voice. What are you waiting for?
