Taking Back Your Voice: Communication Tips for Women Over 50
Show Notes:
Summary:
In this episode of "Aging with Grace & Style," Valerie discusses effective communication strategies tailored for women over 50. She tackles common issues such as being talked over, dismissed, or underestimated due to age or gender. Valerie shares essential tips on using assertive communication to ensure your voice is heard, respected, and valued in both professional and personal settings. By discussing scenarios like asking for a raise or being overlooked for projects, she illustrates how to articulate your value confidently and appropriately. Valerie also emphasizes the importance of nonverbal cues like posture and voice tone that enhance your message and presence.
Timestamps:
00:02 Introduction to Communication Strategies for Women Over 50
01:08 The Impact of Ageism and Subtle Sexism in Everyday Interactions
01:58 Differentiating Assertive Communication from Passive and Aggressive Styles
03:04 Example Scenarios: Asking for a Raise with Assertive Communication
03:39 Addressing Ageism and Its Impact on Professional and Personal Life
04:42 Strategies to Counter Age-Related Assumptions and Dismissals
06:38 Utilizing Nonverbal Cues to Enhance Authority and Confidence
08:17 Weekly Challenge: Adjusting Personal Communication Styles
09:21 Conclusion, Encouragement to Subscribe, and Invitation to Continue the Conversation
Key Takeaways:
- Assertive communication is key to being heard without crossing into aggression. Use direct and clear language to state your needs and contributions.
- Combat ageism by addressing it head-on with statements that highlight your experience and eagerness to contribute, changing the narrative around aging.
- Nonverbal communication, such as posture, eye contact, and voice modulation, plays a crucial role in how your message is perceived. Practice these elements to enhance your authoritative presence.
- Preparation is critical. Organize your thoughts and main points to convey your message with clarity and confidence, boosting your overall communication effectiveness.
- Continual self-assessment of your communication style can lead to significant improvements. Reflect on areas where you can be more assertive or situations that require a strategic reframe to better advocate for yourself.
Let's connect:
Are you on our email list? If not, join here.
Find me on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads @iamvaleriehatcher.
Have questions, comments, or feedback? Email hello@agingwithgraceandstyle.com
Join Us Next Time:
If you enjoyed this episode please rate and review. Don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode!
Stay tuned for more inspiring chats, tips, and stories about the midlife journey.
See you soon!
Transcript
Remember that time when you had an amazing idea at
Speaker:work, and just as you opened your mouth to share it, a coworker
Speaker:talked right over you. Or maybe it was that
Speaker:family gathering where it felt like no one would take
Speaker:you seriously, even on topics that you know a
Speaker:lot about. I feel
Speaker:the frustration just thinking about it.
Speaker:We're diving into communication strategies to get you
Speaker:heard, respected, and acknowledged. This means
Speaker:assertive communication without aggression, countering
Speaker:age bias, and using your voice and
Speaker:presence to command a room.
Speaker:Hey, friend. Ever feel like those old fashioned
Speaker:ideas about aging just don't fit you? If you're ready to
Speaker:own this incredible chapter with grace, style, and a touch of
Speaker:sass, this is your space. Welcome to the aging with
Speaker:grace and style podcast. I'm Valerie Hatcher, and I'm here
Speaker:with empowering tips, inspiring stories, and a whole lot of
Speaker:fun just for us, women over 50. So grab
Speaker:your favorite beverage, turn up the volume, and let's get
Speaker:started.
Speaker:Communication isn't just about what you say. It's
Speaker:about whether they let you say it at
Speaker:all. Ageism, subtle sexism,
Speaker:sometimes it feels like we have to fight to be
Speaker:heard. Today, we are taking back
Speaker:our power. Let's be honest.
Speaker:As women, we're often raised to be nice,
Speaker:to not make waves, to always be agreeable.
Speaker:And sometimes that translates into not speaking
Speaker:up when we should or letting others walk all
Speaker:over us. Well, let's be done with that
Speaker:nonsense. Being assertive is not the same
Speaker:as being aggressive. And it's key to
Speaker:making your voice count. Think
Speaker:about the difference between these communication
Speaker:styles and action. Here's a common scenario.
Speaker:You deserve a raise, but you're worried about asking your
Speaker:boss. So then there's the passive communication
Speaker:style, which would be mumbling, avoiding eye
Speaker:contact, something like, well,
Speaker:maybe if there's extra money in the
Speaker:budget sometime
Speaker:And then there's the assertive communication style, which is
Speaker:confident and clear, which would be something like, I've
Speaker:consistently exceeded expectations in my role, and I've taken
Speaker:on additional responsibilities. I'd like to discuss a
Speaker:raise and reflect my contributions.
Speaker:Then lastly, there's the aggressive communication style, which is
Speaker:shouting in in an accusatory tone. I
Speaker:deserve a raise. You're lucky to have me, and if I don't get one,
Speaker:I'm walking out the door. As you can see,
Speaker:the assertive approach gets your point across directly and
Speaker:professionally. It shows you value yourself and your
Speaker:work. I statements shift the dynamic
Speaker:and focus on your needs. I feel I
Speaker:need. I propose.
Speaker:Unfortunately, even in 2024, ageism
Speaker:is a real thing, and women over 50 can encounter
Speaker:it in both subtle and not so subtle ways.
Speaker:From those dismissive comments about not understanding
Speaker:new technology to being passed over for opportunities.
Speaker:It's frustrating. It's unfair, and it
Speaker:often impacts us both professionally and in our
Speaker:personal lives. Think about being
Speaker:ignored for challenging projects at work,
Speaker:because there's an assumption that you'll be retiring soon
Speaker:anyway or not being considered for that
Speaker:leadership role on a volunteer board because they
Speaker:think you won't connect with the younger crowd.
Speaker:Those assumptions are insulting
Speaker:and outdated. Now we could spend
Speaker:all day complaining about it, but that won't change much.
Speaker:What I want is to give you are some
Speaker:strategies. Our age can be a source of wisdom,
Speaker:expertise, and an unmatched perspective.
Speaker:So let's make sure that we're always
Speaker:highlighting our value. So let's tackle
Speaker:those specific situations that I just mentioned.
Speaker:If you're passed over for a project, try this. I'm
Speaker:surprised I wasn't considered for the project. I have extensive
Speaker:experience in this area, and I'm eager to contribute.
Speaker:This directly challenges the age's assumption
Speaker:without being confrontational, or
Speaker:for those volunteer situations, try,
Speaker:I noticed the focus is on engaging younger participants.
Speaker:I believe my knowledge of this area would
Speaker:be valuable in the outreach process.
Speaker:This positions your experience as an asset,
Speaker:not proof of being out of touch.
Speaker:If you follow my podcast, particularly
Speaker:last week's episode, you know, I talk about how
Speaker:presence isn't about how you look. It's
Speaker:about how you carry yourself and how you use your
Speaker:voice. But it's shocking how often
Speaker:we overlook these powerful tools.
Speaker:Think about someone that you view as confident.
Speaker:It's probably not just what they say, but
Speaker:how they say it. Good posture,
Speaker:a steady gaze, a voice that carries without being
Speaker:loud, those things project authority
Speaker:and self assurance before you even
Speaker:open your mouth. Unfortunately,
Speaker:the opposite is also true. Fidgeting,
Speaker:slumped shoulders, or a voice that gets too soft at the
Speaker:end of sentences, those nonverbal
Speaker:cues can accidentally undermine your message,
Speaker:making you seem less certain
Speaker:or capable. But wait, there's
Speaker:something even more fundamental than posture or your
Speaker:voice, and that's being prepared.
Speaker:When you've thought through what you want to say
Speaker:and you have your main points clear in your mind,
Speaker:that confidence naturally comes through in
Speaker:both your verbal and your nonverbal communication.
Speaker:Now I know it's not always possible to
Speaker:fully rehearse before a big meeting or a conversation,
Speaker:but even jotting down a few key points
Speaker:that you wanna hit or practicing opening
Speaker:statements out loud, It makes a huge
Speaker:difference. Remember
Speaker:communication is not a passive act,
Speaker:Own your voice, own your experience,
Speaker:and show them just how capable,
Speaker:how insightful, and how absolutely
Speaker:unstoppable you are. This week.
Speaker:Your challenge is to pay attention to your
Speaker:own communication style. Is there
Speaker:an area where you can be more assertive?
Speaker:Is there a situation where a powerful
Speaker:reframe could change the game? Even
Speaker:just a small tweak to your posture
Speaker:or your voice can make a big impact.
Speaker:We've only just scratched the surface of this topic.
Speaker:Being a powerful communicator helps you
Speaker:succeed in every area of life.
Speaker:Until next time, keep speaking your truth,
Speaker:keep seeking understanding, and keep shining
Speaker:your light.
Speaker:Thanks for hanging out with me today. I hope you're feeling
Speaker:inspired and ready to own your awesomeness. I
Speaker:love sharing this space with you. And if you love today's
Speaker:episode, do me a favor, share it with a friend who
Speaker:could use some extra inspiration. A quick rating
Speaker:and review really helps too. Don't forget to
Speaker:subscribe so you never miss an episode. Let's
Speaker:keep this conversation going. Head over to pod.aging
Speaker:with grace and style.com to sign up for my newsletter.
Speaker:Until next time, keep shining with grace,
Speaker:style, and a whole lot of sass.
