Speak Your Mind Unapologetically Podcast

• Stop Asking For Permission: 30 Power Phrases to Start Owning Your Voice

  Do you sound like a leader, or a pleaser? Asking for permission to speak up and using apologetic language can cost you promotions, recognition, and influence.  Discover 30 subtle language shifts that transforms how people see your authority. In this episode of the Speak Your Mind Unapologetically podcast, host Ivna Curi shares easy language shifts  to speak with power at work, that will instantly project and make you feel more confident. You’ll get practical tips on how to rephrase common workplace requests, updates, and disagreements to sound more assertive and influential. You’ll also get a free guide below with 30 powerful language shifts to help you implement these changes and enhance your professional presence. What You’ll Learn How “permission language” quietly undermines your credibility Simple, powerful word swaps that make you sound confident and clear How to speak up without sounding aggressive — and be heard every time   🎁 Free Resource: Download the 30 Power Shifts Guide — a free, practical cheat sheet with real-life “weak vs. powerful” word swaps for meetings, presentations, and everyday conversations. Replace soft, hesitant phrases with powerful, natural ones. Speak with clarity, conviction, and calm authority. Be heard without apology. 👉 Get your free guide here: https://assertiveway.aweb.page/30power    ✅ Free Newsletter:  https://assertiveway.com/newsletter/   ✅ Take the Quiz 'Do You Speak Like a High-Impact Leader?':   https://myassertiveway.outgrow.us/highimpactleader    ✅ Listen on the Speak Your Mind Unapologetically podcast on Apple Itunes:   https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/speak-your-mind-unapologetically-podcast/id1623647915      ✅ Listen on Spotify:  https://open.spotify.com/show/6L1myPkiJXYf5SGrublYz2   ✅ Order our book, ‘Unapologetic Voice: 101 Real-World Strategies for Brave Self Advocacy & Bold Leadership’ where each strategy is also a real story: https://www.amazon.com/Unapologetic-Voice-Real-World-Strategies-Leadership-ebook/dp/B0CW2X4WWL/   ✅ Follow the show host, Ivna Curi, on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivna-curi-mba-67083b2/     ✅ Request A Customized Workshop For Your Team And Company:   http://assertiveway.com/workshops Contact me: [email protected] or [email protected] Contact me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivna-curi-mba-67083b2   ✅ Chapters 00:00 Introduction: The Cost of Asking for Permission 01:03 The Power of Language: Shifting Perceptions 02:18 Practical Tips for Confident Communication 04:44 Real-Life Examples: Transforming Your Speech 07:01 Powerful Phrases for Professional Situations 11:50 Owning Your Voice: Assertiveness in Action 28:55 Conclusion: Embrace Your Unapologetic Voice

  --------  

  32:36

  --------

  32:36
• Courage at Work: Stop Staying Silent & Start Leading Boldly (with Saadia Khilji)

  Do you ever hesitate to speak up in tough situations at work, worried about backlash, bias, or saying the wrong thing? In this powerful episode of the Speak Your Mind Unapologetically podcast, I sit down with Sadia Khilji, Global Chief Information & Technology Officer at Coverys, to explore how leaders and professionals can find the courage to speak their minds. You’ll discover: How to confront colleagues who undermine your credibility without damaging relationships. The right way to disagree with your boss, and avoid backlash while building respect. Mindset shifts to stop overthinking in meetings and finally share your ideas with confidence. How to recognize bias early and decide when to walk away from unhealthy environments. Simple strategies leaders can use to help their teams speak up with courage. If you’ve ever held back your voice in a meeting, struggled with self-promotion, or wanted to advocate for your team with more confidence, this episode will give you the tools and inspiration to do it. Listen now and start building the courage to lead boldly, speak with conviction, and create impact in your career.   ✅ Connect with Saadia Khilji: linkedin.com/in/saadia-khilji-techexec    ✅ Free Newsletter:  https://assertiveway.com/newsletter/   ✅ Take the Quiz 'Do You Speak Like a High-Impact Leader?':   https://myassertiveway.outgrow.us/highimpactleader    ✅ Listen on the Speak Your Mind Unapologetically podcast on Apple Itunes:   https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/speak-your-mind-unapologetically-podcast/id1623647915      ✅ Listen on Spotify:  https://open.spotify.com/show/6L1myPkiJXYf5SGrublYz2   ✅ Order our book, ‘Unapologetic Voice: 101 Real-World Strategies for Brave Self Advocacy & Bold Leadership’ where each strategy is also a real story: https://www.amazon.com/Unapologetic-Voice-Real-World-Strategies-Leadership-ebook/dp/B0CW2X4WWL/   ✅ Follow the show host, Ivna Curi, on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivna-curi-mba-67083b2/     ✅ Request A Customized Workshop For Your Team And Company:   http://assertiveway.com/workshops Contact me: [email protected] or [email protected] Contact me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivna-curi-mba-67083b2

  --------  

  39:57

  --------

  39:57
• Why ‘Just Be Confident’ Is Terrible Advice — And What Actually Works

  Discvoer 14 surprising strategies to finally speak up at work with confidence. These practical tips will help you stop holding back and start owning your seat at the table. In this episode, discover how to find your confident voice to share ideas (even half-baked ones), set boundaries, negotiate with ease, and stop people-pleasing for good.  These are practical, tested tips, not the tired “just breathe” or "use positive affirmations" advice.  🎧 Tune in now and unlock the courage to make your voice matter at work. You'll find out:  ✔️The untold truth about confidence at work: what nobody teaches you ✔️The ultimate confidence blueprint to speak up, advocate, and get heard ✔️14 Non-obvious confidence hacks every professional needs     ✅ Free Newsletter:  https://assertiveway.com/newsletter/   ✅ Take the Quiz 'Do You Speak Like a High-Impact Leader?':   https://myassertiveway.outgrow.us/highimpactleader    ✅ Listen on the Speak Your Mind Unapologetically podcast on Apple Itunes:   https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/speak-your-mind-unapologetically-podcast/id1623647915      ✅ Listen on Spotify:  https://open.spotify.com/show/6L1myPkiJXYf5SGrublYz2   ✅ Order our book, ‘Unapologetic Voice: 101 Real-World Strategies for Brave Self Advocacy & Bold Leadership’ where each strategy is also a real story: https://www.amazon.com/Unapologetic-Voice-Real-World-Strategies-Leadership-ebook/dp/B0CW2X4WWL/   ✅ Follow the show host, Ivna Curi, on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivna-curi-mba-67083b2/     ✅ Request A Customized Workshop For Your Team And Company:   http://assertiveway.com/workshops Contact me: [email protected] or [email protected] Contact me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivna-curi-mba-67083b2   Chapters: 00:00 Does The Lack Of Confidence Shrinks Your Voice? 02:55 Tip 1: Borrow Someone Else's Confidence 05:23 Tip 2: Train in Discomfort 08:21 Tip 3: Speak for Something Greater Than Your Fear 10:34 Tip 4: Ask Yourself Better Questions 12:48 Tip 5: Use Questions to Reduce Risk 15:18 Tip 6: Train With Micro Courage 19:41 Tip 7: Realize It's Not About You 22:26 Tip 8: Overwhelm the Fear with Action 25:04 Tip 9: Speak Early, Speak Often, Consistently 26:43 Tip 10: Make More Intentional Decisions to Speak 27:36 Tip 11: Build Mastery To Beat Nerves 30:19 Tip 12: Increase Certainty With Evidence 31:23 Tip 13: Find and Speak From Conviction 32:30 Tip 14: Practice Communication 34:25 Conclusion: Take Action to Build Confidence

  --------  

  36:11

  --------

  36:11
• Practical Self-Promotion Tips That Actually Work in Meetings and in Networking (Brag-Free)

  What’s the right way to self-promote without sounding arrogant? How do you confidently speak about your work (and get credit for it)? How do you talk about your achievements assertively? In this episode, you’ll discover: What to do when your boss takes your idea and runs with it How to get credit at work (even if you’re overlooked) Why your team gets left out of the thank-yous (and how to fix it) How to talk about your achievements when numbers don’t tell the story How to share wins in a way that builds respect (not resentment) Chapters: 00:00 Introduction: Addressing Overlooked Contributions 01:21 Workshop Insights: Real Questions from Professionals 03:07 Promoting Your Team's Efforts 05:11 Networking Without Arrogance 06:41 Showcasing Achievements Without Numbers 11:26 Communicating with Higher Management 13:42 Building Self-Confidence and Recognizing Your Value 18:43 Handling Idea Theft by Managers 23:16 Promoting Non-Work Accomplishments 27:10 Cultural Nuances in Self-Promotion ✅ Free Newsletter:  https://assertiveway.com/newsletter/   ✅ Take the Quiz 'Do You Speak Like a High-Impact Leader?':   https://myassertiveway.outgrow.us/highimpactleader    ✅ Listen on the Speak Your Mind Unapologetically podcast on Apple Itunes:   https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/speak-your-mind-unapologetically-podcast/id1623647915      ✅ Listen on Spotify:  https://open.spotify.com/show/6L1myPkiJXYf5SGrublYz2   ✅ Order our book, ‘Unapologetic Voice: 101 Real-World Strategies for Brave Self Advocacy & Bold Leadership’ where each strategy is also a real story: https://www.amazon.com/Unapologetic-Voice-Real-World-Strategies-Leadership-ebook/dp/B0CW2X4WWL/   ✅ Follow the show host, Ivna Curi, on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivna-curi-mba-67083b2/     ✅ Request A Customized Workshop For Your Team And Company:   http://assertiveway.com/workshops Contact me: [email protected] or [email protected] Contact me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivna-curi-mba-67083b2

  --------  

  37:26

  --------

  37:26
• How To Bridge Cultural Divides And Cultivate Respectful Conversations? (with Dr. Shaun Carver)

  How can leaders can bridge cultural divides, welcome diverse team members, and cultivate respectful conversations? How can you be civil with uncivil people? These are some of the questions that Dr. Shaun Carver, Executive Director of International House at UC Berkeley, answers in this episode. He’s spent over two decades leading in global education, from China to California, creating spaces where people from all backgrounds and cultures can connect, communicate, and thrive. In this episode, you’ll discover: 03:24 Experiences in China and joining international house 04:19 Learning from cultural communication missteps 05:27 Civility and respect in disagreement in a diverse environment 08:35 The food strategy in connecting diverse people 12:43 The secret to not feeling offended 14:18 Ideas to seek out diverse interactions beyond comfort zones 17:27 Why a mission statement doesn't create a culture that bridges team divides 20:45 How smart leaders hire even smarter people and invite challenge and dissent 25:57 How to not censor free speech yet ensure civility 29:35 Conflict comes from not understanding others 30:15 Why hating a person is harter than hating a label 32:35 How to be civil with uncivil people 34:33 When is it appropriate to speak about taboo topics like politics, religion, and cultures 37:07 Why hatred comes from opinions based on ignorance, not experience (and how to fix that)   ✅ About Dr. Shaun Carver: Dr. Shaun Carver, Executive Director and CEO, International House at UC Berkeley. With over 20 years of experience in international education and higher learning, Shaun is the Executive Director and CEO of International House at UC Berkeley, a renowned institution that fosters intercultural respect and understanding among people from around the world. Prior to I-House he served as Assistant Dean for Graduate Programs in the Rady School of Management, UC San Diego (2017–2020) and as Executive Director of the Hult International Business School (Boston, New York, San Francisco, Shanghai; 2013–2017), where he oversaw 750 students representing 82 countries. Before that he served in leadership positions in institutions of international higher education in China (2002–2013) at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing, Tsinghua University, and the Sino-British College of the University of Shanghai Science and Technology (USST). He holds a Doctor of Education in Organizational Change and Leadership from the University of Southern California and an MBA from California State University San Marcos. https://www.linkedin.com/in/shauncarver/    ✅ Free Newsletter:  https://assertiveway.com/newsletter/   ✅ Take the Quiz 'Do You Speak Like a High-Impact Leader?':  https://myassertiveway.outgrow.us/highimpactleader    ✅ Listen on the Speak Your Mind Unapologetically podcast on Apple Itunes:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/speak-your-mind-unapologetically-podcast/id1623647915      ✅ Listen on Spotify:  https://open.spotify.com/show/6L1myPkiJXYf5SGrublYz2   ✅ Order our book, ‘Unapologetic Voice: 101 Real-World Strategies for Brave Self Advocacy & Bold Leadership’ where each strategy is also a real story: https://www.amazon.com/Unapologetic-Voice-Real-World-Strategies-Leadership-ebook/dp/B0CW2X4WWL/   ✅ Follow the show host, Ivna Curi, on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivna-curi-mba-67083b2/     ✅ Request A Customized Workshop For Your Team And Company:   http://assertiveway.com/workshops Contact me: [email protected] or [email protected] Contact me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivna-curi-mba-67083b2   ✅ Support The Podcast Rate the podcast on apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/speak-your-mind-unapologetically-podcast/id1623647915

  --------  

  39:59

  --------

  39:59

More Business podcasts

Trending Business podcasts

About Speak Your Mind Unapologetically Podcast