360: Confidence Hacks for Speaking Up at Work

In this episode of Workday Playdate, Erin explores why speaking up at work has far less to do with competence and far more to do with confidence. If you've ever left a meeting thinking, "I should have said something," you're not alone—and you're probably more prepared than you think. If you've ever had the perfect idea thirty seconds too late, watched someone else say what you were thinking, or struggled to find your voice in meetings, this conversation is for you. Using improv principles and practical strategies, Erin shares how to stop disappearing on the back line and start contributing with more confidence, more quickly, and more consistently. **Inside This Episode:** - **Speaking Up Is Usually a Confidence Issue, Not a Competence Issue:** Most people already know what they want to say, they just hesitate when the moment arrives. Erin explores why the gap between thinking and speaking is often driven by fear, not ability. - **Silence Feels Safe, But It Can Make You Invisible:** Staying quiet may protect you from saying the wrong thing, but it can also prevent others from seeing your ideas, expertise, and leadership potential. Early and frequent participation changes how people experience you. - **Confidence Is Built Through Reps, Not Perfection:** The goal isn't to feel ready before you contribute. The goal is to contribute and let confidence catch up. Erin shares why speaking up is a skill built through practice, not personality. - **The SPEAK Framework Makes Participation Easier:** Erin introduces the improv-inspired SPEAK framework to help you contribute more naturally in meetings: Set up the scene, Preload your line, Enter early, Anchor the room, and Keep building. - **Consistency Changes Your Identity:** Speaking up once feels brave. Speaking up repeatedly changes how you see yourself and how others see you. Confidence isn't built in a single moment; it's built in patterns. **What to Do Now:** 1. **Set Up the Scene:** Before your next meeting, identify one idea, question, or perspective you want to contribute before the conversation begins. 2. **Preload Your Line:** Prepare a simple opener such as, *"One thing that stands out to me is..."* or *"I'd like to build on that idea..."* so you're not starting from zero when the moment arrives. 3. **Enter Early:** Challenge yourself to speak within the first ten minutes of your next meeting. Momentum is easier to maintain than it is to create. 4. **Anchor the Room:** Remember that your contribution doesn't just help you—it creates permission for others to participate, ask questions, and share ideas too. 5. **Keep Building:** Confidence is earned through repetition. Every time you speak up, you're collecting evidence that your voice belongs in the room. **Your Freebie** You’re calm, capable, and composed… until things take an unexpected turn (as they tend to do)! This is exactly why we created *The Clarity Under Pressure Toolkit: What to Do in the First 5 Minutes of Any Uncertain Situation*. It’s your go-to guide for staying grounded when it matters most. Download it here. **This episode is brought to you by Magnatag, the world's largest collection of magnetic dry-erase planning systems.**  We are talking over 2,300 options including calendars, project management boards, dry-erase walls, maps, and more, all handmade in the USA. If you can't find exactly what you need, you can design a completely custom board online with your logo, your templates, and your own layout. Magnatag doesn't just make whiteboards. They build visual systems for how teams actually work. Find your perfect board at magnatag.com/playdate. **Connect with Erin Diehl x improve it!** - Leadership Playground online membership community - Erin’s website - Erin’s Instagram - Erin’s TikTok - Erin’s LinkedIn - improve it!’s website - improve it!’s Instagram ### Connect with Erin Diehl 🌟 Learn more about Workday Playdate: https://www.learntoimproveit.com/podcast-page 🎤 Book Erin to speak: https://passionstruckspeakers.com/speakers/erin-diehl/ 📚 Workshops & Team Experiences: https://www.learntoimproveit.com/experiential-training 💌 Learn more about Erin: https://www.itserindiehl.com/meet-erin 📱 For more information on improve it! visit [www.learntoimproveit.com](www.learntoimproveit.com). ### Loved this episode? If this conversation made you think differently about work, leadership, or building joyful teams, please follow **Workday Playdate** on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who could use more play in their workday. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.