Permission to Speak: How to Change What Power Sounds Like, Starting with You

by Samara Bay

Use your voice to lead us to a better future with this game-changing guide to redefining what power and authority sound like—from a speech expert who’s worked with Hollywood’s biggest stars, political powerhouses, and businesspeople shaking up the status quo.

“I love this book—funny, surprising, stirring, and so important! What a beautiful accomplishment and gift to put into the world.”—Rachel McAdams

Getting heard is a tricky It’s what you say and how you show up, filtered through your audience’s assumptions and biases—and maybe even your own. For women, people of color, immigrants, and queer folks, there’s often a dissonance between how you speak and how we collectively think powerful people should like the wealthy white men who’ve historically been in charge. But, fortunately, the sound of power is changing.

Permission to Speak is your tool kit for making that change. In this revolutionary take on how to use your voice to get what you want, sought-after speech coach Samara Bay offers a fresh perspective on public speaking and a new definition of what power sounds namely, you. Blending anecdotes with eye-opening research in leadership, linguistics, and social science, Permission to Speak shows you how to strike the right balance of strength and warmth to land your message; exactly what to do before a high-stakes scenario so that your voice, your mind, and your spirit are ready; and how to turn habits like vocal fry and upspeak into tools. Most important, you’ll discover your voice why you talk the way you do, what’s wonderful about it, and what you’ve outgrown.

Fiery, fun, and truly profound, Permission to Speak is a personal and cultural reckoning with what speaking in public is and what it can be . This book meets the moment and offers this When we change what power sounds like, we change who has it.

Genres: Self Help, Nonfiction, Audiobook, Leadership, Business, Personal Development, Feminism

288 pages, Hardcover

Published February 7, 2023

Reviews

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book wasn’t long, but it FELT long. I loved the message, the advice, and the personality sprinkled throughout the book. That being said, I think that the same things could have been communicated in a way that was more concise.

I do feel like I learned a lot from this book, but it took a lot of effort to get through.

[Monica Hills · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking to improve their ability to speak up for themselves whether for business or in the public speaking realm. The author gave some great tips and tricks to help anyone find their voice and speak from their heart. As a shy person I do find it difficult to be able to speak in front of large crowds and make it meaningful and not robotic. This book helped me see that I have to own my speech and that I don't have to lower my tone to make myself sound more like a man to be heard. There were many great examples and reasons behind each technique.

The book was broken down into 8 chapters, each delving into the aspects of speech. Many of the chapters had examples of what to do to improve that aspect of speech. For example in the Breath chapter there were techniques to improve your breathing. My only critique was that it did get a little wordy at times. (I know that may sound a little ironic.) Overall, I think this book was very helpful and the next time I have to do a presentation or officiate a ceremony for my school I plan on using many of these techniques.

Thank you to Crown Publishing, and Penguin Random House for this advanced copy.

[Yama Chen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Without any helpful information for readers but fluff.

[Kelli Baxstrom · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read fiction books almost exclusively. I do this because I love slipping into someone ele's head and a world that doesn't exist, but wouldn't it be wonderful if it did? I picked up this book expecting to have to force myself to finish it, despite the fact that I was looking for help in learning how to express my voice and thoughts and opinions better. Instead, I found myself imagining what could be in this world instead of a fictional one. I was in particular looking for advice on expressing myself in private, and though this book was geared toward expressing yourself in public, I found each tidbit had applicability to personal life, whether Samara meant it that way or not. Accidentally, I even got inspired to look at changing up how I speak professionally at conferences (I am a scientist but I was also a humanitarian studies major in college, and I find scientific speeches just don't have enough heart in them, don't you? I think I can change that in some cases).

[Jj Burch · Rating 4 out of 5]

texting and email
are fine but why not use our
voice to get things done?

***this was a goodreads win***

[Lisa Arce · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, but more of a motivational book than a practical guide.

[Firetruckmama · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher, for which I thank them.

“Permission to Speak” is a non-fiction book by Samara Bay, a vocal coach. Ms. Bay’s focus is about how to speak up and make your voice heard. This book is more geared toward women, but anyone who needs (or wants!) to become a more effective speaker can benefit from some of Ms. Bay’s tips. Some of the examples include breathwork, mental preparation, becoming loose, and showing passion (which she notes is different from emotion). I wish that there had been visual examples to accompany the words - such as drawings or a QR code to see examples. Ms. Bay is passionate about speaking in general, going beyond just how to present oneself to an audience. Ms. Bay also discusses empowerment and taking authority (in other words giving one permission to speak up, speak out, and be heard). In addition to her speaking suggestions, Ms. Bay also provides information from studies and book about speaking. She also provides examples from her work with clients - which made some of the stories/examples a lot more personal. However, I found this book to be a bit too heavy on woke-ness along with a lot of political talk. I also wished that this book had been organized a bit differently - such as a subheading in a chapter for a story and/or information from a study and a separate section for potential exercises. Ms. Bay did a podcast in 2020 and makes some references to that in this book. If this book interests you, take a listen to her podcast.

[Joan · Rating 3 out of 5]

How hard it is to say what you really want to say, especially with freedom, expression and confidence. As a youngster taught to be a quiet people pleaser, speaking out is not an easy task for me. How would I ever think I deserved respect when I talked?

I found this book fascinating. It is full of insights into how and why we speak as we do. It is a great help for an individual to find their particular voice, their authentic expression. I learned about pitch and tone, dialect and emotional expression. I had no idea showing emotions could be a powerful tool revealing passion rather than merely a sign of weakness. I like that Bay provides readers with choices, including options to change speaking habits. Awareness is key and once that is covered Bar provides suggestions and exercises, should we choose to change our voice. She draws from a wide variety of authorities in related disciplines.

While Bay has coached public speakers, this book is full of good insights if you want to sound confident making political speeches or when you phone in a customer complaint. It is especially valuable for women. Bar is interested in readers becoming the most powerful and potent authentic person possible. If you are ready to express your unique voice, this book will get you on your way. You can start by taking a deep breath.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a gem of a book. From the moment I began reading it, Samara Bay's voice spoke to me, and it kept getting better from there on. As women we readers tend to downplay our own voice and to essentially stand in the wings, waiting to be heard above the din.

I had never heard of vocal fry or upspeak, but I recognized them immediately. Interestingly enough, when men use the same voice techniques they are not judged as harshly, yet women are judged as breathy, flighty or even unintelligent. This book is about tone of voice, quality of voice, yes, but also so much more. We are essentially the first generation of women to truly begin to have a place at the table of authority, and yet we, culturally, habitually, even evolution-wise, tend to take up less space in the world. We are taught to hold in our stomachs, hold down excitement, keep our voices moderate, and so on. This book is about spreading our arms wide, standing up tall, putting our elbows out and claiming our voices. It is not solely written for a female audience, but it truly did resonate with me. I believe anyone who speaks in public, needs a seat at the table to stand up for one's self can benefit from this book.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh

[AnnieM · Rating 4 out of 5]

Permission to Speak - How to Change What Power Sounds Like, Starting with you is a practical guide to help those of us who are not the stereotypical wealthy white guy leader on how to use our voice and be heard. As a woman, this book offered me great examples and focus areas to help me be more aware of my voice and vocalizations. The book covers all aspects -- breath, size, emotions, pitch, tone, sounds, words and heroism. The last chapter is how to talk about ourselves and how to deal with imposter syndrome. There are exercises and visualizations throughout and I have already tried some of them and found them to be extremely helpful. This book is a great guide for anyone who is looking for more confidence when they speak and more awareness of how they come across to others. The author is a highly sought after voice coach and she knows what she is talking about. I recommend this book.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Permission to Speak, by speech coach Samara Bay, is a timely and inspiring guide that offers a fresh perspective on public speaking and how to use your voice to make a difference. In a world where powerful people are expected to sound a certain way, Bay's revolutionary approach redefines what power sounds like and encourages readers to find their own voice. Through anecdotes, research, and practical exercises on breathing, emotion, pitch, and tone, Bay provides a comprehensive toolkit to help readers strike the right balance of strength and warmth to land their message. She also invites readers to reflect on their own voice story and offers insights on how to turn habits like vocal fry and upspeak into powerful tools. Overall, Permission to Speak is a must-read for anyone who wants to use their voice to lead and effect change in today's world.

[Claire Binkley · Rating 2 out of 5]

All right - she said enough to me. I am reading something else now. I mean, I understand that at a different time in my life I definitely needed to read this book, but now is time to bring it back to the library. (You see, this seems to have something to do with dominance and passiveness in relationships.)

Am I a Dominant Person? Do I make others open the door for me?
Oh, the way I structured that seems to answer that already. If I were actually passive, I would have written the second one: "Will others open the door for me?" But I have figured out, if I wait around for somebody to notice I need the door to be open, my funding will elapse.

So, if you need a boost to your self-esteem, Samara Bay is here to help you out!
Then again, n.b.: I only scanned her book. She might have said something I didn't catch.
It may be just as it seems.

[Cristina O'Hanlon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened as an audiobook in the background while working so I didn’t pay 100% attention to it but this was generally an empowering read about questioning the way that leadership is conceptualized in your mind’s eye (especially if most of the leaders in your school or work environments have always been white and male) and consciously adapting the way you visualize leadership to be less hegemonic. I’ve never really liked the sound of my own voice and this book helped me understand the role of patriarchy in that dislike and change the way I feel about it which was pretty cool. It also had some really interesting content that highlighted the communication value of vocal techniques traditionally (negatively) associated with women such as vocal fry, upspeak, hedging, etc. Cool stuff for seeing your own voice differently!

[Meghan ReadsBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Crown publishing for a copy of Permission to Speak. This is a timely read as many women think about goals for 2023 or are simply looking to process what life looks like post 2020 trains and in times of political, racial, ethnic and on going #metoo turmoil and change. How do you give yourself space to be you and speak? How do you get others to value your voice and acknowledge that others have a voice in all spaces where to work and leadership and change are happening? A book can't provide anyone answers but can lead an engaged and motivated reader into thought and perhaps action. Permission to speak might be the call to reflection and action many are seeking (or this is a great gift for graduation season!).

[Daniela · Rating 5 out of 5]

My goodness if i didn’t need to read this book…. It’s funny because as I started to read this book and was working on my “standard American accent” for my voice class I was also entering my second or third voice crisis where I just HATED the way I sound but this book reminded me that our voice is more than sounds and it helped me realize how ashamed I felt for speaking up and fighting against the system and… well the patriarchy and not being backed up bc all my classmates were men and highly privileged ones at that so I was all alone and doubting if I was in the wrong. Wow this book just gave me a whole new perspective.

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't imagine how the audiobook isn't the best way to do this one, so I'd recommend this.

This book is so much more than the title suggests. I was expecting some bits on how to feel more empowered to feel yes, I do belong. Yes, I have the right to speak.

What this book does is examine the actual voice you use to speak. How you use it, the tones, the ticks, the tightness, and the ways you can FEEL more empowered, more you, more authentic, more connected to your audience. While there are encouraging words about your right to be "there," this isn't that book.

This book does the digging into one of your most valuable assets that is so often overlooked, your voice itself.

[Sabrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vocal fry

Mimicking deeper voices to sound more masculine in order to be taken seriously.

Fascinating! The drawn out vowel sounds that the influencers use is the exact same technique that Sesame Street uses.

Why is every young female in this country trying to emulate how the Kardashian sound I find their manner of speaking completely asinine & I can hardly stand to listen to them.
I get really confused living here in Pennsylvania when I hear people that sound like they’re from the valley of California in the movie clueless. I think we really have to ask ourselves why do they sound like that?

[Louise Foerster · Rating 4 out of 5]

Samara Bay's PERMISSION TO SPEAK could not have come at a better time. Her powerful, enjoyable guide lays out the power of how we communicate and ways to enhance our overall presentation when the stakes are high and we are under pressure. Now facing a presentation to an open-minded, but powerful group, I will use the insights and the lessons I learned to make my own speech as powerful and transformational as I dream. I received a copy of this book and these thoughts are my own, unbiased opinions.

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Samara Bay takes on the human voice and how to help it live up to its full potential in this wise and balanced book. She covers breath, size, emotion, pitch, tone, accents, vocabulary, and what she calls 'heroism' -- how to talk about yourself. This book will be helpful for anyone, but especially women, who feel held back by the demands that their role, and perhaps gender, makes on their voice. How not to be held back by the ways in which society wants to type you or put you in a box is really Bay's subject, and she covers it well.

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good meat and potatoes treatise about not just why women can't use their voice, but how to make that voice work exactly as it is. A little on the long side -- she uses her own 'voice' a bit more than necessary at the time -- but she at least makes it entertaining. Fittingly, this was an audiobook for me; I can't see how one can consume it any other way and miss out on all the sounds and inflections that are kind of the point. 4****1/2

[Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book in a Goodreads Giveaway.
I really enjoyed reading this book. Partly instructional and part memoir, the book has a lot of great insights on public speaking and the added hurdles that some girls/women and people from other groups face when speaking up. As a high school speech and debate coach, I found some interesting tips on connecting with the audience, speech writing, and the all-important breathing. A great guidebook with some interesting personal stories.

[Helfren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Getting heard is a tricky business: It’s what you say and how you show up, filtered through your audience’s assumptions and biases

This book really simplify what it means to be heard and to be speaking in front of the a crowd of people and get the message across. There's a lot of simple things that happening in the eyes of an orator that really impresses me and this book uncover the secret behind it.

[Yehudah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 50 out of 50 for 2024

At long last, the last book of the year. It was an uplifting one to read end on. Bay shares a novel take on captivating audiences. Instead of emulating the classic image of a powerful and put together speaker she insists that being your authentic self, or at least having that option, is the way to go. Practical and down to earth this book would be a good choice for anybody struggling to find their voice.

[Kaiti Vartholomaios · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book entered my sphere at the right time; I had just attended a seminar on black US history, and the professor spoke with such a high pitch - it never occurred to me that authority could sound like this! It felt like a revolution, and Samara Bay let me in on it. An enjoyable read.

[bri · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a woman who fears public speaking who is being asked to do more, this book was like a huge hug. I so appreciated the feminist perspective. I have so many tabs marked that I will return to as I try to improve my comfort around public speaking.

[Clivemichael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring and instructive examination of the challenges to step into power.

[Jennifer Jank · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good discussion of the issues, with solid tips on how to actually improve your speaking.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the exercises and warm ups to try before speaking, and the nuggets of wisdom in the stories and her epiphanies.

[Vanessa Paesani · Rating 4 out of 5]

An inspiring narrative for women who are seeking to truly own their own voice. I really liked this book as a tool in system change and changing the voices we hear in the world.