Using Your Voice to get Results

Tuesday, September 10, 2002

www.mycoach.com, http://www.mycoach.com

Your Shakespearean Voice

When I travel in my car by myself (which in LA amounts to several hours a week) I either listen to classical music or NPR to fill in my time. Last evening on my way to a group called The Exchange (I may write a whole issue on the wonderful things this group is doing) in Studio City, California, and I was listening to Terry Gross on NPR. As her guest, she featured a voice coach from England who talked about the use of a person’s speaking voice. The section of the show I was able to hear featured the voice coach talking about using your voice and speaking to or from power. Her contention was that if you want to create a feeling and illusion of power, you can do so using your voice alone. I tell you that - - - - to tell you this: when you speak to a person in a position of power, whether a tyrant, a world leader or your boss, you unconsciously slow down, annunciate more carefully, use direct eye contact, and often speak slightly louder. This is called your Shakespearean voice and you already know how to use it well because we all do it unconsciously. Now, you can begin to use this fabulously valuable voice much more effectively.

(Minor rant from Colle: for those of you who simply read My Coach’s Notes and don't anything about the information you've been receiving, please stop reading because this next exercise can make a profound difference in your life. Plus it has a bonus effect for those charming risk takers in the group, each of you will get the full credit and glory for the wonderful changes you have wrought upon this world.)

The next time you find yourself in a conversation with someone (especially a stranger) I want you to speak slightly slower (not quieter); I want you to use a slightly deeper voice, use correct grammar and carefully annunciate each word. Notice how the person responds to you differently when you’re using your Shakespearean voice. If the person is someone you know, they will suddenly face you and pay very careful attention to what you’re telling them. If the person is a stranger, they will treat you with a much higher level of respect than the situation warrants. A senior person will respond to you in exactly the same way as a subordinate while using your Shakespearean voice.

Leaders, politicians, great teachers, religious leaders all know the secret I'm about to tell you, so listen up! The reason for this magic is - Ta Da (maestro, a trumpet blast and a drum roll please), the voice they’re hearing is the same one they remember their mother using when she wanted to impress upon them the importance of what she was telling them. Think about it! How can them arguing with their mother? They’re not that dumb. Unconsciously, they’re thinking, “Oh, I better listen. This must be important because it sounds important.” The other reason this voice work is so effective is that the words we hear are only 7% of the message we’re receiving. The tonality and delivery by the speaker are 33% of the meaning. The rest of the meaning of the communications is in the body language. If you can control that 33% plus 7% and can back it up with your body language, people will hang onto your every word and listen to you as if their life depended on it! They will display a higher level of respect and a willingness to do what you tell them. Your voice is driving their subconscious and you can take advantage of the situation to further your agenda and theirs.

Are you willing to achieve your outcomes at an accelerated rate? Use your newly found voice sparingly at the beginning so you can develop your repertoire of power. Begin to choose situations in which you can leverage yourself and your agenda more elegantly because you know what you want for an outcome and you’re willing to use the tools you own to achieve that outcome.

After a few heady experiments and a couple of deep knowing grins, send me an email and let me know how this is working for you. This is one issue you may not want to send to your normal mailing list for a couple of weeks until you see how well this works. ;-}
- Coach Colle
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COURAGE

You can't test courage cautiously.
- Anne Dillard
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SUCCESS

A successful person is one who can lay a firm foundation
with the bricks that others throw at him or her.
- David Brinkley
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BRAVERY

Fortune favors the brave.
- Terence
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