THE CLEAREST VOICE IN THE ROOM

The useful part

This motivational book opens by discussing how women often face "You should say something" moments but don't end up speaking out because of fear. The author emphasizes that the goal is not to have the loudest voice but the clearest. A woman's voice, she insists, can create a "ripple" that extends to fellow teammates or members of an organization, and beyond.

How it works

• The book's VOICE framework focuses on how values, outcome, identity, consistency, and energy influence effective speaking.
• "Feeling, Action, Transformation" is an action plan for identifying how you want people to feel, what you want them to do, and what transformation would look like after you have spoken.
• The book explains how leaders' "ABCs" (or Assumptions, Body Language, and Choices) influence the energy they bring into a room.
• Sickels insists that speaking up isn't only about "big moments" but rather "infinite" opportunities to share an idea, express appreciation, or invite someone else into the conversation.
• The author recommends sharing stories "thoughtfully and intentionally" to build rapport with colleagues.

What to take from it

The book concludes with the reminder that "when you know your values, you know what to say. Say it today." Sickels builds a compelling case throughout the book for why it's so important for women to make their voices heard. The book reassures women that "speaking effectively is a skill" that can be learned with practice.