For one more night this evening I will experience the feeling of being in the presence of greatness. I finish up a meditation course with Sister Stan this evening. Sister Stan set up one of the leading organisations tackling homelessness in Ireland, Focus Ireland. She has also established a centre of mindfulness and meditation in Dublin’s City Centre, the Sanctuary.

Sister Stan was one of the earliest voices to speak out publicly about the homelessness crisis in Ireland in the 1980’s. Efforts were made to silence her at the time. She remained undeterred. Sister Stan backed herself, her conviction and her voice. Thanks to this, her voice is still prominent and powerful on the topic of homelessness to this day.

Sister Stan is a real hero as much as she is a real human being (it’s why that oh so catchy tune, a Real Hero, from the soundtrack to the movie, Drive (and the Inspo 2020 soundtrack) is on my mind now).

This week we may have an opportunity to have our voice heard. Be it in a meeting, a phonecall, a presentation or even in the written form.

Here’s three ways that can help you to ensure that your voice is heard in the best way possible:

• Embrace your power:

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our Light, not our Darkness that frightens us. (Marianne Williamson, author)

We all have the potential for great power in our voice. It sometimes, knowingly or unknowingly, scares us. The first step of letting your voice be heard is to embrace the power of your voice. It’s in you and it’s part of you. Don’t be afraid of it. The office, the world will be better for you letting your true voice be heard.

• Know and practice what you want to say:

Getting comfortable with what it is we want to say is an important part of letting our voice be heard in the best way. We need time and space to get comfortable with what words we want to use. Equally, we need to get comfortable with how we will deliver the message. The best way to do that is to say the words out loud. Take the time to refine how they sound and feel so that they do justice to your voice when the moment matters.

• Consider the Receiver:

So often we are so keen to get the words out of our mouth that we forget about the ears that take the words in. Yes, it’s critical to deliver the words well. However it’s equally critical to ensure that the words lands as well as possible for the receiver. This is a delicate balancing act. The most powerful voices are those that strike the best possible balance between the two.

Sister Stan is a real hero and a real human being in how she backs herself and lets her voice be heard.

Can you be a real hero and human being this week?