Heather Hansen - Unmuted: How to Show Up, Speak Up, and Inspire Action

One of the most thought-provoking books about communication Ive ever come across. Heather Hansens vast multicultural experience, sensitivity to differences, corporate politics savvy, and practical suggestions make Unmuted a must read business book in 2022.

Laurie Schloff, Executive Communication Coach and author of bestselling book Smart Speaking: 60 Second Strategies for More than 100 Speaking Problems and Fears

I have always felt that connection and contribution are at the heart of good leadership, and you cant achieve either without strong communication skills. Unmuted will give you the courage to speak up in the world, and to do so in a conscious and connected way. This book is an essential guide for authentic leaders at every level who want to make a difference in their organization and inspire others to do the same.

Jiak See Ng, Deloitte Asia Pacific Financial Advisory Leader

Finally, a holistic and realistic framework for todays communication challenges.

Kyle D. Hegarty, author of The Accidental Business Nomad

In hospitals today, communication is essential for patient safety and team cohesion. This book gives you the tools to clearly convey your ideas when it matters most, while remaining true to your identity and background.

Juan B Grau, MD, FACC, FACS, Full Professor of Surgery, Director of Cardiothoracic Surgical Services, The Valley Hospital Health Care System in alliance with The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, The University of Ottawa Heart Institute

If youre interested in improving your communication skills, Unmuted is a must read. Heather approaches communication differently than most, with a focus on self-awareness and cultural sensitivity. This book is nothing like any communication book youve ever read, and one youll refer to again and again.

Heather Hansen, award-winning attorney and author of the Amazon bestseller The Elegant Warrior

As the world changes, so does the way we communicate. Unmuted is a communication guide for our modern, digital age a refreshing read that couldnt have come at a better time. I have benefitted tremendously from the lessons in this book and will use it as a reference moving forward. This is required reading for anyone who aspires to be a more confident communicator.

James Lim, Executive Vice President and President, Greater Asia BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company)

Getting along with people who think and behave differently is extremely hard until we can get along with ourselves. The more confident, conscious and connected we are, the less we can be muted, especially when our voice is needed the most. Unmuted is the blueprint to make it happen.

Csaba Toth, author of Uncommon Sense in Unusual Times

Heather Hansen delivers a cutting-edge solution combining communicative competence, language, linguistic and cultural awareness. Her warmth and skill as a trainer and learning and development consultant give us the push we need to get re-engaged with the new world around us more directly, positively and confidently. Unmuted is a must-read for leaders big and small focused on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

Bettina Anagnostopoulos, Language and Communication Solutions Leader, Cartus Corporation

For my husband, Peter,

who never allows me to press mute

(even if he sometimes secretly wishes I would).

And for our daughters, Victoria and Stella.

Stay forever unmuted.

Scan this QR code or visit www.heatherhansen.com/unmuted to access additional resources including your Unmuted Assessment , Unmuted Discussion Guides for each chapter and the Unmuted Action Guide to help you transform your organization into an unmuted workplace.

Contents

Youre on mute!

After hearing and saying this phrase for the millionth time, it finally struck me that many of us really are on mute. Not just in the confines of virtual meetings and breakout rooms, but in our lives, our careers and even in our families.

Lost in the digital, artificially intelligent, VUCA world of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, we are often overwhelmed and paralyzed by the complexity of modern life. With serious threats to our planet, our health and our livelihoods, the easiest escape is to press mute and silence our voices. But this isnt a virtual meeting. Pressing mute on our lives is the worst thing we can do in a complex world that demands our participation.

The world has changed, and to succeed we cant stay quiet. We need to grow and adapt. Remote work, global teams, hybrid offices and work from home structures are changing the professional landscape and presenting us with new challenges. How can we communicate with and relate to people well probably never meet in person? How can we build trust in a world dominated by social media and artificial intelligence, where its harder to distinguish whats real from whats fake?

Were desperate to trust and believe in each other and our leaders again, but the only way to conquer challenges the world has never seen is with ideas the world has never heard. We need new voices, new perspectives and new leadership.

We need you unmuted.

Whether youre at the beginning of your career or 30 years in, this book will help you become a more conscious, confident and connected communicator. It offers practical strategies for conquering the worlds newest challenges. Youll learn to develop yourself and your team so that every voice is heard and the best ideas shine.

What will it take for you to show up, speak up and inspire action in the world, in your organization or even in your family and friendships? Can the world afford not to hear your voice?

Maybe youre fighting impostor syndrome and think your ideas arent good enough. Perhaps youve tried to share your ideas, but theyve always fallen on deaf ears. Or maybe youve yelled so loudly for so long that no one wants to listen anymore.

My hope is that, as you read this book, it will help you to identify what is holding you back, and how you might unmute yourself to make the greatest impact in your life, your work and your community. In turn, I hope youll be inspired to unmute others by creating environments where open and honest communication thrives, diversity and inclusion are the norm, and innovation flourishes.

***

In early 2020, as most of the world went into lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic, we watched every aspect of our lives change at a pace weve never experienced before.

Seemingly overnight, we went from being collective societies to isolated family units or individuals. Travel was banned; borders were closed. The only things keeping us connected were the Internet and virtual communication tools.

Managers were at a loss trying to figure out how to navigate these changes. When I asked a group of top leaders in a global logistics firm to describe how they were feeling at work, 123 of them (based everywhere from Europe to Australia) expressed this shared human condition with words like busy, challenged, stressed and exhausted.

The focus of leaders across every industry turned almost entirely to their people. How could they get their teams to connect, communicate and collaborate from a distance? These werent new challenges for globally dispersed teams, but the pandemic seemed to act like a magnifying glass. Problems that existed before came into sharper focus, and solving these problems became more urgent.