SPEAK UP

There is a saying that states that ‘Girls are to be seen and not heard’. That is so old school. You should speak your mind at any point, especially if you feel your life is threatened or you come across something that is requested that you are not comfortable with doing.

Titi spoke up.  Her uncle was always buying her gifts which she liked at first but she noticed that any time her parents were not in the room, he would try and touch her inappropriately. Titi reported him to her mother and that Uncle was never seen in their house again.

Be Tactful

Think before you speak. When speaking your mind, you don’t always need to say exactly how it is. You have to be careful that you are not putting another person down or making them feel uncomfortable. Hadiza had that problem. She spoke before thinking and normally ended up offending a lot of people. She was cautioned by her mum about this behaviour and soon changed her ways by becoming more tactful.

Be Polite

A girl who has poor manners, normally implies that she was not raised well. You should be polite and remember to say those magic words, “Please, Thank You, Excuse me and Sorry”. Ada mastered the art of being polite which made her very charming. She was raised to be respectful to everyone. Ada went a step further and learnt to say the magic words in about 50 languages.

Express Your Point

When speaking up, express your points in a logical manner, so that others understand. Sometimes there are barriers in communication like noise, but always make sure others understand you, by simply asking for feedback. Suzzy was the team captain and it was important that her team worked together to achieve their goals. The beauty of Suzzy’s leadership was that she always asked others if they had questions. They were able to achieve more than expected because of her style of communication.

Command attention

You can command attention by standing upright, having good eye contact and not looking apologetic. Position yourself correctly and speak like you own your opinion. At only 5 foot, Janet was not a pushover. She was the type of girl who everyone listened to. She didn’t have to shout but her body language and tone of voice suggested that she was very confident and knew what she was talking about.

Listen to others

Even though you should speak up, it is very important to listen to others. This should be done in an active way like agreeing or nodding to show that you are listening. If you listen properly, then you can respond properly and speak up.

Remember you do have rights and what you have to say is just as important as anyone else.