Nov 20 Communicate To Influence: Find Your Signature Voice
One of the keys to developing a strong, secure, instantly recognizable executive presence – and communicating your value upward – is to find your authentic signature voice.
Here’s a tip for you:
- The pitch of your voice goes up at the end of questions, as in “Did you bring those flowers for ME?”
- Now pay attention to how someone who is nervous sounds. Their vocal chords constrict and breathing gets shallow – which sends the tone of their voice up – like a question.
- Even if they make an authoritative statement it has a lilting curl at the end, so it sounds unsure – the way questions do.
- The lesson is that unless you control your voice it will betray you with a tone that indicates doubt, uncertainty, and a lack of confidence – a questioning versus self-assured tone.
Your Nonverbal Voice
The same goes for the nonverbal kind of voice each of us has – what we refer to as our signature brand and image, or presence.
- When that nonverbal “voice” wavers it undermines your leadership credibility and makes you seem unsteady and unconvincing.
- To have real executive leadership presence, that confidence and freedom from doubt has to permeate everything you do. Think of it as your leadership personality.
- But the only qualities humans exhibit that permeate everything they do are the ones that come instinctively from the subconscious level – like your personality does. We see a “natural” athlete, musician, or leader and say “they make it look so easy, they can do it unconsciously.”
- The fact is, however, that they worked diligently to intentionally develop those skills and overcome their challenges. The harder you train, the easier it looks.
How hard are you willing to train to develop your innate potential to exhibit the executive presence you know you are capable of showing? If you’re willing, I’ve made it much easier thanks to the Predictable Promotion™ System. You don’t have to waste time experimenting to figure out what works and what doesn’t.
Best of all, the whole process begins with getting in touch with your true self in a way that most people will never have the guts, passion, and determination to do. The satisfaction you derive will permeate not just your career but every aspect of your being. That’s the meaning of authentic presence and discovering, finally, your uniquely individual signature voice!
So tell me, how do you want to reinvent yourself?
Tell me what you think! Post a comment below!
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Sarah Hathorn is a leadership development mentor, executive presence coach, image and branding consultant, public speaker & author. She is the founding CEO of her own successful company, Illustra Consulting, and the creator of the proprietary Predictable Promotion™ System.
1-800-267-3245 | www.illustraconsulting.com
Copyright © 2013, Sarah Hathorn, AICI CIP, CPBS
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Sarah Hathorn, CEO of Hathorn Consulting Group, is the go-to-expert in working with leaders and companies to create successful corporate DNA. As an executive coach, consultant and speaker she collaborates globally with clients and brands such as Deloitte, McKesson, Kimberly-Clark, Sherwin-Williams, Home Depot and other leading organizations.
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