Permission to Speak

Finding—and using—your true voice can be a really difficult thing to do. Many of us have been trained from a young age to take a seat and raise our hands to ask for permission to speak. Even the most accomplished, most outspoken, most self-aware still end up taking a backseat—often unconsciously—when we should be standing up and shouting.

In this talk, LaDonna Witmer Willems takes lessons learned in two decades of brand building—and in her own journey from silence to the stage—and turns them into tools you can use to unlock the power of your own personal voice.

This workshop was part of Gladstone's series, Critical Conversations, which was launched in 2020 as a way for Gladstone community members to challenge and empower themselves by considering different ways of thinking through the lens of others. These discussions will encourage you to reframe or shift your perspective. All community members are encouraged to participate and continue the dialogue outside this forum.