Who are you Amplifying?

My family loves movies! We are nerdy to the point of putting notes on our calendars when a beloved film, seen on the big screen, is coming out on DVD/Blu-ray. The date it arrives in stores, we make a special trip to Target and then watch it soon after from home. We like to own our favorite flicks. We also do not just watch them over and over - we turn on all needed sound systems, and the movie is amplified all over the house.

Amplification is the process of increasing the volume. When something cannot be heard, we plug it into a system that amplifies the sound. We can also amplify the voices of our colleagues.

One of my friends and colleagues Dr. Kerry Mitchell, sent me an article written by Claire Landsbaum about the shine theory – ‘if you don’t shine, I don’t shine.’ It was an article about the female staffers in the Obama administration and what they did to ensure female voices were heard.

Female staffers adopted a meeting strategy they called “amplification”: When a woman made a key point, other women would repeat it, giving credit to its author. This forced the men in the room to recognize the contribution — and denied them the chance to claim the idea as their own.
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‘We just started doing it and made a purpose of doing it. It was an everyday thing,’ said one former Obama aide who requested anonymity to speak frankly. Obama noticed, she and others said, and began calling more often on women and junior aides.

​Two simple things resonate from this article!

1. Repeat the person’s name! Often ideas are born, discussed, modified, and tweaked until the person who originally had the suggestion is no longer associated with its birth. When a female has a good idea, it is often lost and reclaimed by men at the table. To amplify someone’s voice, be sure to acknowledge that person by name!
2. Repeat the idea! When you associate the idea with the person who came up with it and repeat it as a good idea - you amplify that person’s voice!

This concept of amplification may seem simple, but I have been to a lot of meetings where great ideas are shared, and no one responds. Perhaps it is a habit, competition, cultural norms, or a matter of only speaking when called. It is a generous act of leadership to amplify a person by name, repeat a good idea, and give credit. It does not take a vast speech or a lot of context; it can be a few simple words to help someone shine. Sometimes simple things make a big difference!

Who will you amplify in your next meeting?

References:
https://www.annfriedman.com/shine-theory/
https://www.thecut.com/2016/09/heres-how-obamas-female-staffers-made-their-voices-heard.html
Photo by Courtney Clayton on Unsplash
Photo by Oleg Laptev on Unsplash