Breaking Through Domination

You’ve probably been there.

You enter a meeting with something valuable to share, but one or two voices take over — driving the discussion, filling every pause, leaving no space for anyone else to speak.

And so you wait.
You hesitate.
And soon enough, the meeting finishes and you haven’t spoken.

You’ve missed the opportunity. Not because you didn’t feel ready to speak, but because you were polite and let others speak first.

But here’s the truth: sometimes we need to let go of our polite, good girl tendencies and step forward to be heard.

Because every time we hold back, we miss the opportunity to shape what happens next.

Dominant voices often aren’t better voices. They’re just louder. And when we don’t speak up — especially in rooms where decisions are made — we reinforce the idea that leadership looks and sounds a certain way.

But it doesn’t.

Leadership is listening, yes — but it’s also showing up. Contributing your ideas. Naming the thing others haven’t noticed yet. Asking the question no one else has thought to ask. Your voice brings a different perspective. And when that voice goes unspoken, something is lost.

It’s not just about you being heard.
It’s about what’s missing when you’re not.

Because when smart, thoughtful women hold back, groupthink creeps in. Innovation stalls. The same people keep making the same decisions — and progress slows.

You speaking up isn’t self-promotion.
It’s participation.

It’s presence.

It’s leadership.

Yes, it can be uncomfortable. Especially when you have to push through loudness or take up space when no one’s inviting you to.

But if you don’t speak, others will contiue to dominate and nothing will change. The same decisions will be made from the same perspectives.

When you gain the confidence to speak in the face of domination — even just once — you begin to rewrite the story. For yourself. For your workplace. For the women around you.

Your voice matters.
Even — and especially — when the room is loud.