Humphrey - Taking the Stage: How Women Can Speak Up, Stand Out, and Succeed

The ability to speak in front of a group is a very important tool. Taking the Stage teaches you that your opinions are as valuable as anyone else's. I have certainly seen members of my team more willing to speak up after participating in the Taking the Stage program.

Richard Nesbitt, CEO, world markets, and COO, CIBC

The Taking the Stage program has profoundly impacted IBM women at all levels, encouraging them to speak up, communicate for impact, and become essential to their clients.

Lauren O'Donnell, global general manager and vice president, life sciences industry, IBM

It is with excitement that I endorse Judith Humphrey's book. She is an excellent communicator and I wish her every success in delivering her powerful and helpful messages to a wide audience. Taking the Stage will touch thousands of women around the world in the most positive ways.

Micheline Bouchard, former CEO, Motorola Canada, and board member, International Women's Forum

Over the past 10 years, our firm has been reporting on the unacceptably low numbers of women in senior executive positions. Those figures will change dramaticallyfor the better!when women read Judith Humphrey's compelling new book, Taking the Stage. I will certainly be recommending it to all my female clients, and to those who have women on their teams.

Jay Rosenzweig, CEO, Rosenzweig & Company

I love Taking the Stage. It spoke to me profoundly as I read it while on the subway in Seoul. It showed that we can embrace both the yin and yang, the female and male aspects of our natures. I truly believe that when we are able to harness both, we become better, stronger leaders. Judith Humphrey's brilliant book will show readers how to do just that.

Sharon Tan, vice president, HR/OD, Asia, Grohe Pacific PTE LTD

Cover design: Wiley

Copyright 2014 by Judith Humphrey. All rights reserved.

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The Leader's Script, Speaking as a Leader, Leadership Conversations, Leadership Presence, and Succeeding on Stage are trademarks of The Humphrey Group Inc.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Humphrey, Judith, 1943

Taking the stage: how women can speak up, stand out, and succeed/Judith Humphrey.

1 online resource.

Includes index.

Description based on print version record and CIP data provided by publisher; resource not viewed.

ISBN 978-1-118-95840-7 (pdf) ISBN 978-1-118-95839-1 (epub) ISBN 978-1-118-87025-9 (hardback)

1. Women executives. 2. Leadership in women. 3. Communication in management. 4. Public speaking for women. 5. Oral communication. 6. Career development. I. Title.

HD6054.3

658.4'09082dc23

2014023068

For Marc, my wonderful husband, who has always believed in me. For Bart and Ben, who have shown that a woman can have bright, happy, and cherished children and a successful career.

This book grows out of my conviction that confident self-expression is the foundation of success in business and life. I have seen the lives of thousands of women transformed when they learned to take the stage. Graduates of our firm's Taking the Stage program have foundas readers of this book will discoverhow to speak up, stand out, and succeed in ways that increase their visibility, earn them respect, and accelerate their advancement. Many inspiring stories of those who have achieved these goals fill the pages of this book. I'm pleased to share with readers the insights from our program, from my twenty-five years as head of a communications company, and from my own life.

How do you know if this book is for you? If you would like a stronger voice in discussions; if you wish to express yourself with more clarity and impact; if you want others not to interrupt you because they don't hear you; if you'd like to be assertive but not aggressive, promote yourself, be visible, speak with presence, and move your career forward by showing yourself as a confident, capable leaderif you say yes to any of these, then this book is for you. Taking the Stage is a metaphor for all the ways you can be your own best champion by finding compelling ways to express yourself. Whatever your rank, position, or industry, this book is for all women who want to claim their right to confident self-expression and respect from others in the boardroomand beyond. The rewards are enormous. So, take the stage!

This is a book for women, but it is also for those who support women's success. It is for leaders of women who want to build stronger, more diverse teams, or who have wives, female partners, or daughters they would like to see succeed. Men have told me, I want a copy of this book for my wife, who can project more confidence, and This would be useful for my daughter who is very smart but doesn't interview well. More broadly, this work is for anyone who cares about women, the future of young women, and the value that women can add to every business, profession, community, and familywhen they do speak up and stand out as strong, confident leaders.