How to Speak Up in Meetings When You Fear Being Judged

A client told me she almost never shares her ideas in meetings. So I asked her why.

She said, “I have a fear of being interrupted. It can be embarrassing. I also fear being judged. What if people think what I am saying is dumb?”

Do you relate? I hear versions of her thoughts all the time. Let’s unpack them together.

Why do people keep interrupting you?

It’s rarely personal. Many people process out loud. They talk to figure out what they think, so they jump in without realizing they’ve cut you off.

Some of us process out loud. Some of us process in our own heads.

Neither style is better. They’re just different.

So don’t stay silent to avoid being interrupted. Try saying, “Hold on one second, I just wanted to finish my thought by saying…” Then continue to speak up and share your insights.

What if people judge your ideas?

I’ll be honest with you. Most people in the room are busy planning what they’ll say next. Your colleagues are far too busy with their own thoughts to judge yours.

How do you quiet your inner critic?

Last week I wrote about building your confidence, and one of the five steps was challenging your inner critic. The confidence you build from that step becomes invaluable when you’re deciding whether to speak up.

Your inner critic is the voice that replays negative messages on a loop. It sounds convincing, but it isn’t telling you the truth.

Start by noticing when it shows up. When you hear it, remember what we covered last week: your thoughts are not facts. Then swap the message for something kinder, like “I know this topic well, and I have something useful to add.”

Confidence is built through evidence, and every time you share an idea, you add to your backlog of proof. You know when an idea is good. You know when you’re right. Don’t let perfectionism keep your best thinking to yourself.

Try one small step in your next meeting

Pick one meeting this week and promise yourself you’ll share one idea. That’s it. It’s a small promise, and keeping it builds the self-trust we talked about last week.

Ask yourself: what am I holding back, and what would happen if I just said it?

Your perspective is worth hearing. Please speak up.

Thank you for sharing!

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