EP47: Communication Pitfalls for Women with Dr. Kate Mason

Do you really have to choose between being liked and being influential, or has that belief been quietly shaping how you speak and lead?

Karin Reed talks with Dr. Kate Mason about a core tension when women communicate: the pressure to soften authority in order to stay likable. Drawing from her book Powerfully Likeable, Dr. Mason challenges the idea that warmth and influence sit on opposite ends of the spectrum and explains how clarity, presence, and conviction can coexist.

This episode explores why women often minimize expertise, overexplain decisions, or hesitate to ask for time and resources. Dr. Mason introduces the idea of “imposing syndrome” and offers shifts that help women communicate with confidence without becoming performative. What changes when you lead with your recommendation? How does women’s communication shift when you trust that your voice already belongs in the room?

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 Being Liked vs Being Influential in Women Communication

02:08 Why Power and Likeability Are Not Opposites for Women Leaders

05:06 How Women Minimize Expertise in Professional Communication

08:49 How to Lead With the Recommendation in Women Communication

12:29 Imposing Syndrome and Asking for What You Need at Work

16:13 Rethinking Confidence in Women Communication

18:12 Why Visibility Matters in Virtual Communication

24:00 Authority Without Changing Your Voice or Identity

32:21 One Practice to Strengthen Women Communication and Influence

Connect with Dr. Kate Mason:

Connect with Dr. Kate on LinkedIn

Subscribe to Dr. Kate’s Substack

Connect with Karin Reed:

Website: www.speakerdynamics.com

Speaker Dynamics University: https://university.speakerdynamics.com/

Speaker Dynamics on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakerdynamics/

Karin Reed on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karin-reed/

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm