Don't Be Afraid to Stutter

In my last article I wrote about Successful Failures. This one is a little more personal, and I am going to write on how to get through them and thrive.

The path to success is rarely one that is clear and concise. It's filled with setbacks, challenges, and what I’ll relate to stuttering.  From my own journey, I've learned that it's not just the successful path that defines who we are, but our resilience along the wrong turns, and our eagerness to persevere through what seems like a never-ending journey to where we are today.  Reflecting back on my journey, one of the biggest things I had to overcome was a speech impediment: stuttering. 

The Courage to Speak Up

Early in my career at Impact, despite having gone to speech therapy until high school, I found myself struggling with confidence when speaking in front of groups. Didn’t matter if it was mentors, customers, or colleagues. It wasn't just about finding the right words, it was about the fear of how they came out.

So here I was, an entry-level employee, trying to gain the knowledge needed to be successful, and every time I wanted to chime in, I had that fear of failure and judgment about not sounding as professional as I wanted. Growing up like this meant I had to build my own mental confidence to keep trying.

Needless to say, one of my proudest moments came when I spoke in front of 1,000 people at our Impact Optimize event in 2019. (This event is one of my favorite moments of my career for many reasons, but maybe more on that in a future article). Somewhere along the way, I developed the ability to speak at our company meetings, in front of crowded rooms, on stages, online videos, podcasts, etc. and the only way that happened, after reflection, is successful failures, conversation after conversation.  Many colleagues who see me now, confidently addressing large audiences, might not realize the struggle that it once was, but every moment of hesitation has been a step towards this newfound confidence.

Stuttering in Tech: Failures as Stepping Stones

In the tech world, some version of stuttering can be seen in every failed project and every initial misstep in a new initiative. But, like overcoming a fear of public speaking, navigating through these challenges is what leads to innovation.

Stuttering can be like an agile process as it relates to speaking. If it didn’t come out right the first time, iterate and hit the mark the second time. Find the wins, but most importantly, stutter your way through, because before you realize it, you’ll be crusing through it like a well-rehearsed keynote presentation. Keep in mind the valuable lessons that propel us forward.

Encouraging Others to Speak Up

Just as I learned to overcome my hesitation in speaking, we must encourage our teams to speak up, to share their ideas, no matter how unpolished or unfinished they may seem. It's in these raw, unfiltered thoughts that the best innovation can be found.

I ask my team constantly, if they could wave a magic wand, what would we be doing that we are not. I want the craziest idea because that will spur the idea we really need, one that can be executed properly. We need to create environments where 'stuttering' is not just accepted but encouraged.  Share that crazy idea. Share that concept that we know is impossible. Get the confidence for someone to laugh at you.   

Lessons from Stuttering

1.     Anticipate Stutters: I was always able to anticipate stuttering in the moment. (I don’t expect anyone to know what this feels like, it’s like your mouth has been taped shut, and you can’t say what you want at that moment.  And sometimes that moment passes, and you’re not able to contribute at the level you wanted.) But I always prepared to push through. We should anticipate hurdles and prepare ourselves with the resilience to overcome them.

2.     Learn from Every Stutter: Each stutter, whether a pause in a speech or a delay in project timelines, teaches us something valuable about our processes and ourselves.

3.     Encourage the Courage to Fail: Just as we applaud a speaker who stutters yet continues, we must celebrate team members who try, fail, and yet continue to push forward.

Stuttering Toward Success

My journey from a reluctant speaker to someone who addresses 1,000+ people has taught me the invaluable lesson that perfection is not a prerequisite for success. It's about moving forward, stutter by stutter, toward our goals. Let's embrace our stutters, learn from them, and use them to drive us towards success.