A Season of Change

I trust Passionate Voice readers have been keeping well and enjoyed a relaxing (and maybe productive!) summer. I won't lie, I am happy to see the leaves changing slightly in colour-- signalling the arrival of my most favourite season, fall. I always enjoy the start of September as it indicates the beginning of a "new year" with school back in, etc. September really does feels a lot like January in officially ringing in a new year.

Although there hasn't been much taking place on the Passionate Voice blog front, if you follow me on Twitter, you may have saw how crazy hectic of a summer it has been both professionally and personally. I have had the opportunity to travel to the US and 4 different provinces since the end of June... it has been a fun, whirlwind few months to say the least and everything on my work, personal and business fronts have been awesome.

While I love keeping busy and doing what I've done over the past few months, it has also taught me more about my "threshold" of what I can manage at one time. And not necessarily just what I can manage, but at what level I am comfortable managing everything. Most importantly, this past summer has taught me that sometimes it is OK to stop and smell the roses or as the visual reads "Keep Calm and Take a Break."

I hope that whatever you are involved with, giving back too, exploring, doing or enjoying, that you are kind to yourself. Make sure to take a break and enjoy the journey because it truly isn't about the destination as much as it is about enjoying the process to get there.

Be sure to check back later this fall in a few weeks time as there is a lot more planned to share and new changes on the horizon.. like I said, fall is my most favourite season of all as it truly is the season of change.

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This is your NEW Brain on Technology

This previous post got the conversation started on the new reality of communicating in the 21st century. Now let's look at research that supports how communication is changing because of the way our brains are being rewired.

Research shows that 10 years ago, a person's attention span was on average 12 minutes long and now, attention spans are only 5 seconds long! Other interesting stats highlighted in the Infographic "How Social Media is Ruining our Minds:"

• The average office worker checks their email inbox 30-40 times an hour which equates to nearly every 1.5 minutes  
• 25% of people surveyed forgot names of close friends and even relatives and 7% forgot their own birthdays from time-to-time
• A ULCA Study showed that just 5 hours of internet surfing can change the way our brains work

This article also highlights that our brains are being rewired to the point that some brains now compare to the brains of those who have addictions. We experience symptoms like anxiety over FOMO (fear of missing out.. it really is a diagnosed symptom now!); we have phantom vibration syndrome because of our phones; we can't sleep; we can't remember things nearly as well as we used too; and we have worse impulse control than ever before.

 

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And while research actually supports that internet can boost brain function it is of course important to remember... all in moderation. It is important as a communicator (using your passionate voice to influence those around you!) to recognize just how much our brains have changed due to technology. Because communicating in today's world is different than it was 10 years ago, knowing this can be very powerful knowledge in helping you re-adjust your communication techniques when approaching people and situations.

How much do you think your brain has changed due to use of technology?

21st Century Communicating: the Reality

Do you speak and use words to string together sentences? If you said yes, then you are a communicator. 

You don't have to do communications for a living or be a communications specialist to officially be a communicator. Every human who speaks, uses hand signals or body language gestures is communicating in one way or another.

So why should everyone care about HOW they communicate? 

Because it speaks VOLUMES about who you are. As a leader. As a Manager. As a volunteer. As a significant other in a relationship. As a friend. Really, as a person. Speaking-- the art of not only WHAT you say but HOW you say it defines who you are.

When giving workshops and presentations, I always remind people that communication is THE most important skill we will use as human beings while on earth. If you can't get an idea expressed clearly and concisely to those you are talking too, then how can you get anything done or simply have anyone understand you?

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The Reality of Communicating in the 21st Century

What is hard teaching people of different generations on how to communicate is that each generation has their own style of speaking and "language" and what is acceptable. Speaking in abbreviations, for example, was not common for baby boomers but has become 'the norm' and acceptable for people belonging to Generation Y.

The reality is we are experiencing a time in society where many generations of people are communicating in very different styles and all at the same time. With the introduction of internet and social media, it is simply changing the way our brains are wired. How we understand and process information and then communicate it outward is simply different than previous generations.

More to come on the science of how our brains are actually being rewired and some techniques on how to combat this reality on the new way of communicating.

Taking personal 'inventory'

We all get caught up with the day-to-day activities of our jobs and of course, the busyness of a little thing called LIFE. Because of this, we often forget to take the time needed to "self-evaluate" or do "personal inventory" as leaders or managers in both our professional and personal lives to see what type of progress we're making; change we're helping to create; or impact we're having.

Once in a while, taking stock of what you know; what you need to know; and reaching out to those resources/people around you who can help you "grow" as a person/leader is very rewarding.

One of those enriching-type of "self-evalution"events I am happy to attend every year is Leadercast which is a live leadership event held every May in Atlanta, Georgia. It is also offered via live telecast to over 1,500 cities/towns around the world in 22 countries. The one-day event aims to "facilitate the largest convergence of leaders in the world by creating an epic leadership experience."

This year's line-up of speakers did not disappoint and all revolved their messages around the 2014 theme of "Beyond You" Leadership. Below, I provide 2 key take-aways from each speaker that spoke at the recent event on May 9th. My hopes is that you will take some of these profound messages away like I did and begin to subtly and surely implement these in your everyday life. Personally, a take-away message from Malcolm Gladwell that resonated with me the most of course from The Passionate Voice perspective is this following quote:

Andy Stanley, Author and Speaker

• The power of saying "You Decide" as a Leader/Manager is extremely empowering to those around you. Say it to your employees; empower them; and back them up!
• If leadership isn't all about you, it will live beyond you. 

Dr. Henry Cloud, Psychologist and Speaker

• As a leader, you are like a "boat" that leaves a wake. The wake, a pattern generated by a boat, is two-sided and in leadership your wake is two-sided as well. Its all about: results and influence.
• People are always judging you (as a leader) if they are for you or against you (its just human nature to do this). Make sure people understand you so they can accurately decide that they are for you and your cause/vision as a leader.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Nobel Peace Prize Winner & Human Rights Activist

• Leaders should remember to be accountable so they don't abuse their power in making decisions.
• Great leaders think of generations to come and what impact they'll leave as a footprint.

Laura Schroff, Former Advertising Executive & Best-Selling Author

• Trust forms very strong bonds. Trust others and they will trust you back. This is the basis of good leadership.
• While we all like to be planned, leave room to be open for chance opportunities and meetings.

Malcolm Gladwell, Author and Speaker

• People will submit to authority if it is: Legitimate, Fair and Respectful.
• Effective leaders know its not about what you say, its how you say it!

Randall Wallace, Screenwriter, Director, Producer

• When you can think of something greater than yourself and don't worry about the outcome, then you've captured the essence of leadership.
• Giving to a stranger is an extremely powerful thing. Ask yourself- how do you give and to whom do you give too both in your professional and personal life.

Bill McDermott, CEO of SAP AG

• Purpose matters more than ever before. People want to follow purpose.
• Instead of a Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG).. have a Big Hairy Audacious DREAM!

Simon Sinek, Leadership Expert, Author & TED Speaker

• Leadership is like exercise- you can look everyday in the mirror and not see change but over time, you will notice the difference and see the change!
• Leadership is like filling up the coffee pot in the lunch room- when the coffee pot is empty and no one is looking, you can walk away and not refill the pot. Or, without anyone knowing, you can refill the coffee pot without recognition because you know its good for everyone.

I trust you enjoyed these as much as I did when I first heard them!

The 'Old School' Way of Communicating ... Talking!

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It is incredible to see how communication has transformed throughout time, especially within the last  20 years. It is hard to believe that mailing letters and awaiting responses for weeks, if not months, was once considered the 'norm.' People in today's fast-paced society now find it hard to even wait the business etiquette "24 hour" time period for a response. Add on top of that, the introduction of social media, where interactions are instantaneous and people expect responses within a matter of minutes. There certainly are advantages and benefits to having this instant engagement (when you want it of course!) and when it is convenient for both parties involved in the conversation.

What is becoming more apparent though is just how valuable of an asset being able to speak and speak well is becoming. It seems like a novelty to hear someone who articulates, uses proper diction and grammar, and commands an audiences attention while sounding smart, engaging and enthusiastic. 

While technology has its many advantages, everyone can agree it has also made us lazy as a society. It is easy for people to make comments behind a computer screen yet not have the backbone or talent to say what they need to effectively in front of an audience in-person. Technology has made acronyms the 'norm' as we try and squeeze every bit of space we can out of 140-characters. This has led to improper use of the English language.. and really, what is grammar anymore? We now are use to seeing people write and even talk in slang leading for akward interactions face-to-face when we are speaking in business settings.

If there is one thing to learn, its just how rare it is to have the ability to speak well, have presence and effectively communicate both IN-PERSON and ONLINE.

Articulating your ideas and commanding an audience's attention are extremely rare skills that will become even more valuable to have as we become more reliant on technology and farther distanced from in-person interactions. Think of the people whom you've recently had interactions with.. which people left you with a favourable impression that resonated with you? What one skill did they have?

It was most likely the ability to translate their ideas from their head (or from paper, email or online) to create an impression on you face-to-face. And that, is extremely rare to find now a days!

The time and effort behind Being a good speaker

A lot of people believe that being a good speaker requires a lot of talent, time and energy. In instances where professionals want to be a paid speaker or have to do speaking on a full-time basis as required by their job, public speaking does require a great deal of practice and time to be the best at their craft.

BUT...

The idea of being a great speaker in your everyday job or on committees/teams you serve on does not required much time and talent to be great. What is required though is the conscious effort to try and be a good speaker whenever you open your mouth. Perhaps because of our more casual and relaxed society we now live in, we culturally 'speak' and 'talk' in a lot more casual manner than ever before. Online acronyms and sayings (like LOL and YOLO standing for 'Laugh out Loud' and 'You Only Live Once') seem to creep into our vocabulary and emails more than they should. People don't take the same pride in what they sound like when speaking to people in everyday life.

When speaking to anyone in any work-life ventures, keep in mind these 5 simple tips that will help you increase your presence when speaking with people...and with minimal time and effort.

1. Keep eye contact. Don't be shy. Stare into the person's soul and maintain eye contact. It will show confidence in what you are saying.
2. Speak with clarity and conviction. Tone is everything. By simply stating what you are saying with authority and by speaking firmly, it removes doubt from your voice and adds confidence in what you are saying. Never end sentences with questions or trail off with what you are saying.
3. Use language that asserts yourself. Words like "I think", "what if" "maybe" "perhaps" add doubt to what you're saying.
4. Posture can single-handily change the way someone sees you, both favourbly and unfavourably. Shoulders back, back straightly-aligned, chin down, and a relaxed/calming look on your face will take you miles. Body language speaks volumes about you as a person.
5. Don't waiver in what you are saying. Always think before you say something so you don't regret what you said and the way in which you said it. The best speakers are extremely crafted in what they say.. that is half the battle... knowing what is the right thing to say, at the right time, and in the right manner/tone for the intended audience.

SHORT & SWEET: THE RULE OF '3'

By the time you get to the end of this blog post, you will already be thinking about the next blog post you are going to read. I won't take it personally, because I don't necessarily believe its the content that has uninterested you (I hope anyways!). It is most likely because we as humans now have an attention span of only 8 seconds long! Wild, isn't it?!

Its Official-- there actually IS a Rule of 3

We wouldn't think it, but there actually is a method to the madness of why many memorable sayings, stories, and people are comprised or made up of threes, which helps people with short attention spans to remember what was said! This is officially known as the "Rule of 3."

Think of things such as the three pigs; the three mice; the three wise men; the three stooges; "beginning, middle, end"; "Sex, drugs, and Rock N Roll;" or trilogies. All of these relate back to the idea of "three."

Why only three?

The theory behind the "Rule of 3" is that people understand and are more able to remember and memorize things in three's. Its just the way our brains are wired. This can be extremely powerful to know in preparing in advance of speaking so you know how you can properly develop your script, speech, or presentation to ensure you attract the short attention spans of your audience.

How to Apply the Rule of 3

If you clearly and logically outline what you are going to say under three main ideas, headings or themes, then your audience or whomever you are speaking to/with, with be able to easily comprehend and remember what you said. Recapping at the end of a speech what those three important messages are helps your audience to remember your "take home message." And this idea can be applied to more than just speech writing/presenting-- speaking to your colleague; trying to win an argument; or emails. Really, whenever you communicate, you really should always remember and try to apply the "Rule of 3."

On the note of short attention spans and how the internet (most likely) is helping to shorten our attention span, the following is a funny video I thought perfectly depicts just how short we've become with our attention spans. I'm happy to report that I may not be the only person that ends up surfing something on the internet, wondering afterwards how I even got there in the first place.

P.S. Did you notice the "Rule of 3" applied to this blog post? :) Hope you followed along until the end!