Working Women and "Work Voice"

82% of working women change their speaking voice when they are on the clock. Expert on women in the workplace and President and CEO of Women's Business Council Southwest Bliss Coulter joins us to define "work voice."

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
The backdrop of the Meyer LPGA classic for simply give
Brett Bikita is broadcasting live there We'll check back in
comes a fascinating topic. This is West Michigan's morning News.
Steve Kelly, BREDBIKEITDA and Laurence Smith that eighty two percent
of working women change their speaking style when they are
on the clock, and sometimes their voice. You've heard mom

(00:20):
voice right. Bliss Culter is an expert on women in
the workplace and the president and CEO of Women's Business
Councils Southwest. Thanks for doing this today.

Speaker 2 (00:28):
Thank you so much. I appreciate it.

Speaker 1 (00:31):
So talk to us a little bit about maybe the
need for this in the first place, and what kind
of changes in their voice are we hearing.

Speaker 2 (00:40):
Yeah, absolutely, you know, I think it's been an issue
for quite some time and one of the biggest challenges
to overcome. It's because of that double standard in the expectation, right,
the difference between excuse me, women are often you know,
don't be too assertive, but don't be too agreeable, the
no win situation in the in the workplace, and you know,

(01:04):
there's there's so many things that go along with that.
So what sometimes what you tend to hear is women
who pitch their voice higher. And what we're seeing is
women who adapt to a different style in order to
conform and in order to fit in in the workplace
by lowering their voice, by presenting themselves in a in
a more professional quote unquote way to navigate that professional world,

(01:29):
not using as much casual language. So they're not afforded
as much liberty, if you will, as men are in
the workplace to be their true authentic self because of
fear what goes along with that and not being taken professional,
et cetera.

Speaker 1 (01:44):
Blist. This is different than trying to break through, you know,
like maybe group noise and get attention, because guys will
try to be louder in that instance too. But talk
to us a little bit more about the pressures and
the difference to be heard as an authority as a woman.

Speaker 2 (02:00):
Absolutely, yes, because it is a hard line to navigate.
So the truth is that women are leaving the workforce
and avoiding leadership positions when they are faced with these
types of situations. So, you know, you had mentioned before,
eighty two percent of women shift their speaking style when

(02:20):
they're on the clock, and so they want to you know,
the motivators for these types of things is they want
to appear more professional, They want to appear more confident,
more competent. Fitting in the problems too is if a
woman is presenting themselves to competent, they seem to assertive

(02:41):
or too emotional, whereas men kind of have a little
bit more freedom to come into the workplace, appear authentic,
be authentic, and be applauded for that.

Speaker 3 (02:54):
Bless is this something where women as they go through
and maybe work their way up the ladder, do they
realize that they're doing it after they've done it for
so long? I just I'm curious with that, or do
they do they adjust their style a little bit like
you were talking about.

Speaker 2 (03:09):
That's a really great question. And yes, research and lived
experiences does show that once women kind of make it
and climb, like you said, up the ladder to the top,
that they do realize it. I think it goes along
with that old saying fake it till you make it.
And so for many women, once they get to the top,
they realize what they have done throughout the years, and

(03:29):
then they adjust and then they feel more comfortable because
they have of course gotten in that role or that
position where they feel more comfortable to be their more
authentic self. And then they start to see that switch, Okay,
you know, I'm being more authentic and therefore other positive
things come along with that, the trust, the confidence. So

(03:53):
you will definitely see a change as women climb the
ladder from that code switching or that work voice to
being their more true, authentic self as they climb the ladder.

Speaker 1 (04:03):
Bliss Culture is the President and CEO of Women's Business
Council Southwest. Thanks for your time today.

Speaker 2 (04:08):
I appreciate it. Thank you so much for having me