Finding Your Voice Again: Why Leaders Lose Influence and How to Reclaim It

You’ve worked for years to earn your seat at the table. You’ve built expertise, delivered impactful programmes, and led bold initiatives. Yet, increasingly, you feel as though your voice is fading.

It’s subtle. A softened tone in a meeting. A thought unspoken because it might not land well. You start to fade into the background, even in rooms where you’ve earned the right to be heard. This isn’t just imposter syndrome, it’s the weight of overwhelm, fatigue, and the constant pressure to prove you still belong.

How Leaders Lose Their Voice

Confidence often slips away gradually. When stress becomes your baseline, you protect yourself by staying small. You soften your language, over-explain, apologise unnecessarily, or stop speaking up altogether because you’re not sure it’s worth the perceived risk. Over time, this pattern becomes a habit. You end up with visibility but less influence. And when influence fades, confidence follows.

Research backs this up. In one extensive study, 63% of employees said their voice had been ignored or dismissed by managers at least once—a pattern that damages trust, confidence, and team culture (workplaceintelligence.com). Other findings highlight that when leaders role-model speaking up, it encourages a culture where others do the same (sciencedirect.com).

Why It Matters

Losing your voice isn’t just frustrating, it undermines your leadership. If you’re not heard with authority, your ideas don’t land. You may be working harder than ever, but without presence, the work that builds visibility and influence slips away.

Inside, you start questioning yourself: Am I still seen as the leader I thought I was?

How to Reclaim It

The good news? You can get your voice back, and your influence with it. Here are three ways to start:

~ Speak first for yourself: in meetings, aim to contribute early, even with a short, clear insight. It builds confidence and presence. 

~ Say it once, then stop: deliver your point in a single, clear sentence and pause. If others want more detail, they’ll ask. Silence after you speak reinforces authority. 

~ Model voice behaviour: speaking up, even when it feels risky, signals to others that it’s safe to do the same. Over time, this shifts the culture for everyone (nature.com).

Further Reading to Help You Lead

with Voice

If this resonates, these books are worth exploring:

~ Find Your Voice in 90 Days by Kadi Cole – a practical guide for women stepping into bold leadership roles. 

~ The 8th Habit by Stephen R. Covey – invites leaders to find their voice and inspire others to find theirs too. 

~ Fierce Conversations by Susan Scott – teaches how to have the brave, necessary conversations that shape influence.

Your voice isn’t lost. It’s still there, waiting for the confidence, space, and small steps that will bring it back—stronger than ever.

If you would like support with reclaiming your confidence, book a free introduction call to find out how working with me can help: https://calendly.com/karen-karenhaguecom