Reply To: Exercise 7: Your Authentic Voice
7-authentic voice exercise-Jim
How I interpreted this exercise: I typically have 15-20 topics rattling around in my head that pop up when I read or find a piece of information that seems to fit the topic or it creates new thinking to help me understand a problem I’m trying to solve. So, here is a list of the monologues I spoke out within this exercise. I’ve been thinking about some of these for a while so they may have sounded prepped.
1. Why am I in the Initiative group and what can I gain from it
2. Irrepressible optimism + action.
3. Being in the forest, my centering place
4. My community project and where I want to take it
5. My beliefs about leadership
6. Does circularity always = sustainability?
7. How do I bring my group through the company cost cutting and reorganization initiative
8. Kindness to animals, my connection to them
REFLECTION
1. Did my voice change?
Became more animated, more variability in pitch and timbre, more confident in the later half of the topic.
2. Did it feel more authentic? How?
I was using phrases that are particular to me and analogies to illustrate my points. This is my less formal but more illustrative way of speaking that in some forums I hide: may as well hide under the bed, …I was making references to other people or works.
I found I questioned some of my statements out loud, sort of talk them through or make reference that I should go back and check that item.
3. Did you fear saying anything you would regret? Did you say anything you regret?
No fear, this exercise is quite low risk with the people I spoke to. Didn’t say anything I regret but I’m trying to not dwell on regrets so my tolerance is high. Next time around I would try to say something more clearly and effectively using better words.
4. How do you feel about speaking more openly?
Am generally fine with it but it has gotten me in trouble. I have a strong belief that I should tell the truth and feel compelled to do so when I see a problem. Tested a few topics out on people and tested myself to see how long I could sustain a monologue. I do know that speaking openly in many corporate circumstances does not go well. Some senior leaders don’t like to hear certain items brought up so I have to be mindful of who I’m speaking to but that is also a part of knowing your audience.
5. How did others respond?
Generally positive. I found though that the topics that the listener seemed to relate to produced much more emotional or expressive reaction. A couple of conversations extended past each of our monologues which was great. I think a couple of my topics were not so relevant or interesting to the listener and it was a , ‘ok we got that done ‘ type of response.
6. Do you want to do it more? Differently?
Yes definitely I want to do it more. Of the many exercises I think this skill gets so much more refined with practice. I interpreted the exercise to mean I could start a monologue on any of the items rattling around in my head. I have a list of about 20 of them right now. So I would pick one and just start. I am constantly thinking about these items as I pick up a new piece of information through the day that I think fits so some of these may have sounded scripted or prepped to the listener.
7. Where and how might you apply your experience in the rest of your life
Speaking more authentic more of the time is my goal. But I believe what comes with that is you have to know something of what you are talking about, otherwise the bullshit alarm will go off. I believe you still have to assess your audience and tune the speech to them for best effect without compromising your authentic voice.
The new learning for me is to speak my monologues out loud more often to myself and others to test myself on what I hear me saying and ask whether I believe me!