When looking to unlock your business voice it is important to try to push boundaries to reach the goals you are aspiring to.
With the old proverb in mind, to not regret what we didn’t try rather than what we did, it is worth taking that risk. Though this might seem daunting, looking to yourself, identifying the areas that might hold you back, and some extra preparation can help you overcome them.
In the first instance, it is important to know your own limitations, your intentions, and your desired outcome. Though it may not seem it, it is these limitations that could have been holding you back for so long.
Labelling any issues can be powerful in helping you begin to understand them and in turn calling out these concerns brings the control back to you. These fears will not seem so of putting when you put some boundaries around them. Once you can do this, it will allow you to move forward from them enabling you to let go of these worries holding you back and move on.
Back in my days studying chemistry, one of my teachers emphasised the importance of having a clear plan especially before throwing anything in a test tube. With his well-known saying ‘Don’t be a bucket chemist’ conveying the meaning you can’t just chuck things in and expect your desired reaction. It will only be with preparation that you will achieve your aspired results.
When looking at career progression it is less about having more knowledge than your colleagues and more about developing importance through your vocal presence. The My Business Voice Methodology has combined the proceeding components to give you the aim, variables and process to conduct your own business voice experiments.
Once you have created a plan and by following the below methods it will enable you to reach your full potential. You will get the results if you have a clear VOICE in your head and in writing before you start.
Vocation – Make sure your desired outcome is realistic
Observation – Try to use qualities you admire in others
Intention – Create a recipe of Intention
Casting – Try to exploit and stretch your natural casting
Experiment – Try finding a rehearsal buddy and finding the best method to suit you
Take some time to think about the ‘Parallel Universe’ as this can be key to your success. Learning to use this as a place within your own imagination, used correctly, can provide the perfect basis for your own experimentation. Keeping in line with the rules around morality, legality, and ethics you can use this platform to practise saying what you like with the benefit of no consequences.
Not being positioned in a celestial space, the Parallel Universe can easily be created to imagine what you deem necessary. This is what makes it the perfect place to experiment away from your fears, giving you the opportunity to explore and set your internal dials by practising for all eventualities.
The importance of finding a like-minded buddy to work with you on unlocking your business voice can be a great asset and in turn increase the speed and consistency of our progress. Use these benefits to your advantage, and make the most of all rehearsal sessions by setting an agenda. As obvious as this might sound it is advisable to prepare as you would for any big meeting. As a coach I believe that my chief responsibility is to be there to facilitate good rehearsal and encourage experimentation with an attribute of great coach is knowing when to get out of the way of their client.
Understanding the emphasis on the metaphor ‘the internal dial’ will help to give a clear message. This part of the methodology allows you to tune up your own capabilities rather than be expected to put on techniques and characteristics that you can’t fulfil.
In my career as a coach I have seen people try the latter but not to great success. I have had the honour to see the progress my clients have made over years with a familiar observation of the transition from a role of technical and knowledge based expert to becoming an implementer and influencer. It lies with the discovery of a new foundation for a person’s confidence and competences to grow.
In conclusion time is something that can be overlooked but this is one of the most powerful and precious resources available to us. Used well it can give you the opportunities to experiment and allow yourself to develop a vocal presence.
Time spent developing your communication will be time well spent in the long run, allowing you to grow in confidence and benefit you professionally for the rest of your career. No one truly knows how much time is available to us, with not everyone getting the same, the key is learning how to use it wisely.