Powerfully Likeable

A Woman's Guide to Effective Communication

Women the world over struggle to find a comfortable way to communicate with authority yet still be liked by a crowd. We grapple with being ambitious without seeming strident, giving direction without being too assertive, and holding our ground without upsetting the peace. We strategise before meetings, second-guess in bathroom stalls, text outfit options to our best friends, and try to anticipate every possible variable of our performance. This tricky business is what world champion debater and executive coach, Kate Mason, calls ‘communicating while female’ and frankly, it seems like it’s impossible to get it right.

Until now. In Powerfully Likeable, Mason explains that being influential and well-liked is not an either/or proposition. Furthermore, she shows that to have it both ways, women don’t have to imitate what men do; gaining respect doesn’t mean having the loudest voice in the room or the firmest handshake. Instead, the key is to choose communication tools that amplify what makes you unique – whether that be warmth, humour, competitiveness or a love of data – and wield your power from a place of authenticity. From personal presentation style and negotiation to handling adversarial conversations and becoming your own best advocate, Mason offers a game-changing toolkit of strategies to choose from and make your own, including:

- Scripts for owning your accomplishments instead of downplaying them and defending your ideas without being defensive.
- How to use clear logic, evidence and debate strategies to ask and answer clear questions without appearing ‘difficult’.
- Tips for overcoming ‘Imposing Syndrome’ – the disease of playing small and not taking up space – and channelling warmth as an alternative to deference in conversation.
- How to regulate your body language, voice and words to find your true communicative power.

A paradigm-shifting guide to dismantling and thinking beyond communication stereotypes, Powerfully Likeable will help you unleash your creative power and energy and embark on a journey of success on your own terms.