The mouse that roared!

How on earth do you get heard when you are in a group of vocal, overconfident, loud fellow contestants?Edna (who was eliminated from The Apprentice last night) said on the TV this morning, that one of the keys to being successful in this format, was to be heard and noticed. Obviously, clever editing prevents us being totally aware of candidate's success, but I was particularly struck by the struggles Susan (my name sake) has been having with other contestants.

There is no doubt that Susan is a clever lady and has a sound grasp of business principles. But for some reason, other candidates are ignoring her, or being unreasonably rude  (Zoe I mean you). Why is she failing to be taken seriously? She does have the disadvantage of being the youngest candidate, and she looks very young. Her voice is very high: there is a lot of evidence to show that higher pitched voices are more difficult to listen to. She is petite in stature and is not yet able to make an impact with her physical presence. Her body language tends to be 'deferential': particularly when aggressive candidates are speaking to her. I do believe that Susan's cultural background also plays a role in her ability to come across: Chinese women are expected to be deferential; they speak quietly and with a high pitch. Susan also does not have the confidence and is in awe (I don't know why) of some of the more experienced candidates. 

So what would I suggest Susan does to be a more successful communicator and for others to take notice of her:  

• Think before she speaks; she is very enthusiastic and desperate to please like a child, but this doesn't go down well.
• Speak in a lower pitch. Not only will it make her appear older, she will be more audible.
• Slow down her speech so it is easier for people to listen to her.
• Speak louder, so that others can hear her.
• Be more forceful when she speaks; she won't come across as aggressive (there are others that are capable of that)
• Stand up straight; head up and confident.
• Don't cower when others shout at her.
• Try not to whinge.

I actually think Susan is a great candidate. She needs to overcome these obstacles to start shining. Lord Sugar has flagged up these challenges for her, and no doubt she has the strength of character to take his comments on board.

The Strength of Speech in the face of disaster

With  the dreadful news from Japan over the last few weeks, it came as no surprise to me that the Emperor of Japan decided to address his subjects.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/japan/8385868/Japan-earthquake-Emperor-Akihitos-exceptional-speech.html

Emperor Akihitos, as is tradition, never addresses his subjects and as a result, Japanese people had never heard his voice until this address. When we consider how interested everyone was in Kate Middleton's voice when she spoke at her engagement interview, one can only imagine what a positive impact this had on the Japanese people's morale. Hearing a human voice; particularly that of a leader, is a very powerful emotional experience. The emperor was able to connect on a very personal level with his subjects.

So, do you have a voice that connects with others? Does your voice make an impact when you address others in meetings; on the telephone; or presentations? How might your voice make a difference to those around you. These are questions we all need to consider, just as Emperor Akihitos did.