Q: I got feedback again that I speak too softly. I am speaking up. What do they want me to 
do, yell?
A: Everyone has at least one blind spot and it sounds as if your colleagues are providing accurate feedback. Think about it: they are trying to hear what you are saying and they can’t hear you. This is great feedback—not weighed down by assessment, judgment or hidden agendas.
Accept the feedback graciously, thank your colleagues and consider the following:
- How will you know that your colleagues can hear you? Note: the answer is simple: ask them.
- What is your personal brand: Quiet? Timid? Shy? Lacks confidence?
- Have your friends given up asking you to repeat what you said?
And, here is the most important question you need to answer for yourself:
- Why do my colleagues want me to speak up?
I think that when you answer the final question you will discover that your manager and colleagues value you and what you have to say. They want to hear YOU.
Enjoy this well-worn joke regarding feedback: When someone says you walk like a duck, talk like a duck and look like a duck: start quacking!
