Speak Up, Stand Out

Find Your Voice at Work

Alan Barker

• Publisher: Kogan Page
• Year: 2026
• Print ISBN:
  9781398626331
• eBook ISBN:
  9781398626355
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Personal Development
• Subtopic: Meetings & Presentations

If you're new to the workforce, it can be difficult to know how and when to express yourself in conversation.

Being in a professional situation for the first time can be an intimidating experience, and yet you'll be keen to make your points and share your perspectives and ideas. Speak Up, Stand Out shows you how to do exactly this. It considers the anatomy of a voice, the different modes of influence, thinking on the spot and how to speak up in meetings. There is also an extended consideration of the different components of making a presentation (managing yourself, managing the material, and managing the audience).

If you've just started your career, gaining the confidence to express yourself with clarity and gravitas will be one of your keys to success; this book shows you how.


You don't have to have it all figured out. Work in Progress is a series for anyone building confidence at work, whether you're stepping into a new role, switching paths or figuring things out as you go. These books help you build essential skills like speaking up, navigating setbacks and working with mentors, all without the pressure. Straightforward and practical, they make sense of the things no one teaches you, like what "professional" actually looks like. No jargon. Just real advice to help you grow with confidence, at your own pace. Because learning how to work is part of the job.

Table of contents

• Speak Up, Stand Out
• THE WORK IN PROGRESS SERIES
• Speak Up, Stand Out
• Contents
• About the Author
• Introduction
• Part One You and your voice
• Chapter One Your voice – and how you can think about it
• Chapter Two How your voice works – and how to make it work better
• Part Two How to hold better conversations
• Chapter Three Conversation: the basics
• Chapter Four Mastering small talk – and converting it into big talk
• Chapter Five Tricky conversations – and how to navigate them
• Part Three Finding your voice at work
• Chapter Six Talking to your manager: how to prepare for planned and unplanned conversations
• Chapter Seven Speaking up in meetings: how to make your point and defend it
• Chapter Eight Making a presentation: how to take command of your material, your audience and yourself
• Chapter Nine Creating a virtuoso voice: how to master intonation and compel attention
• Chapter Ten Not the last word: how to use this book
• Copyright Page