ageing voices

As sports people age, they are less agile: their performance levels reduce; their bodies are more likely to be injured, or niggling past injuries come to haunt them. They become slower and lose some strength.

However this description can also be used to describe using the voice; after all it is a physical process. As we get older, our voices reflect this. Not only is there 'wear and tear' on our vocal folds but our body loses strength to make the vocal sound so strong. The clear tone is sometimes lost and the power in our voices reduces. Our voices therefore become weaker, more shaky and make us sound older. The same happens when we are ill.

Interestingly, opera singers, when their vocal folds are examined, have very healthy folds because they take such care with their voices.

So if we wish to maintain a youthful, fresh voice, what do we need to do. Here are some tips to make yourself aware of your voice and aging.

• It might be fun to shout and scream at concerts or at Adventure parks, but you would be surprised at the number of people that strain their voices by shouting and screaming. This can lead to genuine damage, making your voice husky and reducing the volume in your voice. If you do strain your voice and it doesn't recover, see your GP.
• Remember to drink plenty of water; if you are dehydrated, the body produces mucus to protect the larynx making it sound husky and foggy.
• Look at how you stand and your posture. Your voice will sound better if you are in an upright position (sitting or standing) when your chest is open and shoulders down.
• Remember to keep up your breathing exercises! Much of the strength of your voice comes from breathing from your abdominal area and supporting your diaphragm.
• Keep practising; if you regularly speak to other people, whether on the telephone, in meetings or even at public events, you will maintain your confidence.
• Smile and enjoy; just because you are getting older doesn't mean you don't have a voice or anything of interest to say - you certainly do!

Adele's vocal problems have resulted in her cancelling her upcoming tour. The BBC article has explained the problems Adele has been experiencing and sadly, she has revealed that she first suffered problems when recording her first album. Although I am sure she has some vocal advice, I'm surprised she did not have frequent training: i.e. at least twice a week, to develop a secure technique.

It is tough being a singer: as the article says, opera singers are the Olympians of singers, HAVING to know how to use their voices correctly. However, they do not perform every day, for this very reason BUT they have trained for years to ensure they don't damage their vocal cords. The BBC article does say that opera singers don't perform for 280 days of the year - but then they perform without microphones and over an orchestra which is FAR more physically tiring than singing (or miming) over a backing track with a microphone.

For young singers who have the pressure of a management or record company wanting them to promote themselves all the time, it can lead to pressure to perform when they are tired or when the voice is slightly damaged. 

Footballers and athletes do not perform when they have an injury yet singers are performing and being interviewed when clearly their voices are tired. (Listen to singers being interviewed: often their speaking voices are husky - a bad sign).

In the case of Adele, whilst she has listened to advice, has had vocal training and is careful, I'm afraid there is a fundamental problem in her vocal technique: she is not using enough 'head voice' and putting pressure on her larynx as a result - leading to vocal damage. When you listen to her latest single, she drives the sound in the middle of her voice and then the melody goes higher: this is straining the voice. This will affect her speaking and singing voice.

She has been very brave - and sensible - to cancel the tour. I have no doubt she had a lot of pressure to go ahead. She now needs to rest the voice and then do some serious training and I wish her well.

As to what we can all learn from this: singing, like speaking is something natural. We can all do it. But if we have to speak or sing regularly we need to ensure we have a good technique and are relaxed to ensure we maintain healthy and fresh vocal cords.

Golfing putting practice - and presentations

Yesterday I attended an 1806 Club Breakfast at Haileybury School, Hertfordshire. The excellent speaker was the golf professional, Dave Smith who told me how he combined his enthusiasm for golfing with supporting amateur golfers and participating in tournaments.

At the end of the talk, there was an excellent question asking what advice he would give his 17 year old self. "Putting: practice all the time" was his immediate response.He then qualified his answer by explaining that the top golfers win matches on their ability to putt a ball and will constantly practise this technique, yet most golfers will practice the big hits. They should be practising putting in order to win."

I found this fascinating; how often do we focus on the bigger picture: the PowerPoint slides; the statistics we are going to quote; what we are going to wear - which are, of course all important, when we should concentrate on the summary, or an element that the listener will remember.

When we go into a meeting; present to clients or colleagues; even make a telephone call, we prepare beforehand. Make sure you have prepared a clear summary: something the client will remember, to ensure YOU win the putt!!

Enthusiasm

The power of the voice for impact: Jackie Kennedy's voice

I don't know about you, but I found the sound recordings of Jackie Kennedy speaking, compelling. Reading her thoughts on history, leaders and situations is one thing, but to actually hear her voice, with its nuances made it so powerful to listen to. It brought to live an individual and was a fascinating portrait of the person.
Here is an article about the recordings.

The Language Generation Gap

I found this hilarious Ali G interview on You Tube which rather emphasised the challenge different generations have communicating! There are so many misunderstandings, and in fact, two separate conversations going on.

So what implication does that have for us: well as good communicators we need to engage people of different generations, without being patronising, cold or even incomprehensible. As we get older, we tend to be less tolerant of 'youth speak' (it's a sign of age!) but young people deserve to be listened to, understood and respected in the same way as older people.

I believe it is the role of the speaker to make it as easy as possible to be understood. So if you are using slang or technical jargon, you are alienating some of your audience. Of course the reason why some people use such terms is to single themselves out into a particular group - or generation, but it is worthwhile bearing this in mind when speaking to other generations.

So here are my top tips for addressing different age groups.

• Be aware of the audience you are speaking to; if you are speaking to mainly young people they won't respond to references that aren't relevant to them.
• Don't speak down to your audience.
• Don't adopt a 'Street Speak' just because you are speaking to younger people - remember how awful Tony Blair sounded when he adopted an Estuary accent. There is nothing worse than someone trying to be young, but who isn't!
• Be respectful to your audience. Don't speak down to them, but don't use language that alienates them.
• Engage your audience by Q and As: you will learn as much as they do and this is a good way to engage them on their level.

One extra point that should be considered, is when interviewing people. I have been told, so many times by employers interviewing for junior posts, that young people are 'unemployable'. Perhaps there is an element of forgetting what it is like to be young and inexperienced! However, I have some top tips for employers and interviewees who are facing either side of the interview desk.

For young people:

• Don't fib; it is likely that the more experienced person will see through your lies and it rather discredits you.
• Don't feel you have to exaggerate your experience; employers don't expect you to have done everything.
• Listen to the questions.
• Answer questions clearly and honestly.
• Be enthusiastic and interested! Employers are looking for potential and people wishing to learn.
• Be careful with your language and expressions; you are not talking to your friends but people like teachers, parents and your friends' parents.
• Do some research of the company and the person you are meeting; you will be able to answer questions with the company in mind and also ask questions.
• Remember to ask at least one question at the end of the interview.
• Look at the interviewer when listening to him/her and acquire eye contact.
• Practice beforehand.
• Don't be late; there is nothing wrong with being really early!
• Be smart; clean hair, shoes and nails.

For employers:

• Remember what it was like when you were young and had no experience!
• Don't expect the interviewee to know everything - particularly if they have come straight from school.
• Ask them questions about themselves; hobbies; interests; dreams. You will be able to assess how enthusiastic they are and also whether they have a positive attitude.
• Remember that they possibly have little experience - and certainly not being interviewed, so take this into account.
• An arrogant young person could be hiding a lack of confidence.
• A young person might not have been made aware of appropriate language, like, that, like OMG, is appropriate for the office environment. It is up to you how you assess whether this could be changed.
• Look for potential; prepare a list of criteria you are looking for - such as interest in the company; having prepared for their interview beforehand; punctuality.

Straining or overusing the voice; warnings

http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/story/connie-fisher-no-longer-has-vocal-range-for-sound-of-music_1238831

I read a sad story of a music theatre singer who has over used her voice - using it when she had an infection, resulting in what appears to be some vocal damage. The link is above. I often highlight the plight of teachers who have an occupational hazard of vocal strain. This also is a problem for performers: singers, actors and music theatre specialists. Within their training, they should learn all of the techniques for sustaining a long, career, free of vocal problems. This is why, in particular, opera singers train for as long as Surgeons, to acquire their skills. However, outside factors, such as fumes, pollen and even hormones do have an effect on vocal usage so you need to know when there is a potential problem and have the technique to modify your vocal usage.

In the case of the singer involved, I believe she didn't have the necessary advise given to her, or possibly she didn't listen to advice. She had been given a 'dream' opportunity to star in a West End production. Normally a role as long as this would not be taken by one person, but a 'lead' person and another who would do at least two performances a week. However, she took all of the performances; exhausting for a very experienced performer but for one that was inexperienced, this was a danger. She didn't yet know how to pace herself and change her lifestyle to cope with the physical and mental demands of such a role. When she was ill, she came back from sick leave too early and then developed some damage to the vocal cords - resulting in the reduced vocal range.

My advise to anyone using their voice frequently: whether they be a performer, teacher or telesales worker: make sure you are aware of any vocal strain. If your voice is tired or strained, don't use it and seek medical advice. Don't be fobbed off with "Well it's part of the dangers of being a singer/teacher" but insist on expert advice.

Executive Voice: directness works at times of trouble

Like everyone else, I have been appalled by the riots; the greed of the looters; the callousness of the thugs. I have been disappointed by some people that have half heartedly spoken to the public; Nick Clegg seemed out of his depth when he met with the local community in Clapham today, and some community speakers used the knee jerk reaction of "It's the police" or "It's because of the cuts".
I am not denying that there might be outside influences causing these actions, however, this does not help the situation or calm many angry, frightened residents and people that are watching on TV.
I was therefore reassured by the new temporary Chief Constable of the Met, who said it as it was; "Call your children; tell them to go home; stop standing in the streets; go home; let the police get on with their job". Brave, sensible talk. Not pussy footing around or trying to find excuses, it was practical stuff.
Today, there was another highlight: the MP for Battersea saying that if your child has new trainers, phone or other equipment, "Ask those difficult questions; where have they come from." She also told parents to march their children to the nearest police station if they have been looting.
This is not the time for excuses; that will come later. In the meantime, our leaders and clear voices need to tell people what to do, to avoid this escalating and also to send the message that this behaviour - excuses or not - is illegal.

Executive Voice: the power of podcasts

I read an interesting article on the BBC website about podcasts:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/click_online/9545533.stm

With social media being the buzz word du jour, it appears that podcasts are no longer in vogue. It appears that everyone is tweeting; on facebook, or for work on Linkedin. However, the BBC has discovered that podcasts are being downloaded and listened to more.

As a communication tool, podcasts are very useful in that they have a human contact element to them. We engaged with the human voice in a way that Twitter -which of course has it's own uses, does not. Listening to tips on setting up a business; training for the marathon or even deciding what to cook for supper tonight engage many people that prefer audio communication to the written word. Using podcasts transmits information to more people than written word only.

I currently use audioboo for my podcasts (although I am just about to change). My channel is www.audioboo.fm/executivevoice

Tweeting is only one way of engaging clients

I have a number of acquaintances I have met through business, who rave about Twitter. They have had seriously good results from Twitter: linking up with a number of people; getting business this way; having thousands of followers to their tweets. This is brilliant and I am really pleased for them. In this world, success stories are uplifting!

However, I have also met people, that I have engaged with; subsequently worked with, and who now appear to have moved onto the next 100 people to engage with and be followed by. These particular people rave about Social Media as if it is the ONLY business tool to use, yet they've unfortunately disengaged me! Emma Freud mentioned that at a party, her sister ignored her because she wanted to speak to her new 'Twitter' friends that were there. 

And last week I was at a select business meeting where I started a conversation with another business owner. On trying to find out more about her business she said 'Do you go on Twitter; if you follow me, then you'll know what I'm doing!" Yet I was in the room with her; face to face engagement is invaluable for starting a business relationship!

There is no doubt that Twitter and other Social Media packages are an invaluable business tool for engaging with other businesses and to establish a rapport. From tweeting I have gone on to arrange face to face meetings and to develop the business relationship further, and postings are a great way to keep people up to date with what you are doing.

But relationships are more than collecting as many followers as possible; and there is a process from initially connecting with a person via Linkedin, Twitter, Facebook etc, to picking up a phone and interacting as human beings - rather than via a computer. Once the human interaction takes place, the business relationship moves forward far faster. Face to face meetings also play a major impact in this; the number of times I have gone out of my way to pop into a new contact - which has led to business is significant, yet I'd been emailing for some time before that!

However, even after telephone or face to face meetings, you STILL need to maintain the relationship, and tweeting alone isn't enough. You almost need to be more personal; more hard working with these relationships once you've reached this level.

The social media expert Eileen Brown, says that you need to monitor how long you spend each week on Social Media; measure the results and effectiveness of your activities and don't spend more than 5 hours a week. She is an expert and I believe her advice is valid: it is easy to get sucked into building up a large following which takes up time, and does not lead to significant business or to developing long term business relationships.

In the end it is about balance, and the realisation that people buy from people. Let's not forget the power of ourselves - our physical presence and voices, in selling our services.

The Apprentice: All talk and no action

There is no doubt that Melody has an impressive CV: being tutored by world leaders including the Dalai Lama and Al Gore. Winning a number of awards and running a Global Industry. Then why don't I take her seriously and respect her?

Really it is the outlandish self promotion; the talking; the inability to answer the question 'What do you do?'; the arrogance. In our youth, we all over emphasise our achievements, but we learn when to stop and when not to over exaggerate. Yet Melody's exaggeration appears to be a business version of those X Factor candidates, that despite being tone deaf, really believe they are star singers.

Of course, for the BBC, Melody was gold dust; she provided excellent TV with her memorable claims and quotes, and her obvious business flaws. It was hilarious that she was unable to explain the nature of her business: something that anyone would ask - and demand a simple explanation.

However, my concern is that she is obviously a role model for young people; she coaches in communication skills, yet she had a style that invited ridicule and disbelief. Is exaggerating experience really going to win a young person a job, or investment in new business? Is this communication style going to win a young person respect in an adult world?

Recently I was an invited guest at a conference. One of the speakers was a beautiful young woman, who specialised in 'communications'. She spent her 30 minute speech, talking herself up, and outrageously name dropping. Her feedback marks were very low, with some devastating comments. At no time did she engage her audience; she never indicated how she might help of assist any of the businesses represented at the conference, and as a result, didn't create any possibility of trust or of any future rapport. It was a puffed up presentation by someone that gave little indication that she could cope with anything more demanding that the primary school tuck shop, with adult help. I have no idea how good this woman was at her job, but her communication and presentation style was flawed.

Youthful optimism and lack of fear is such a powerful tool, and one that we all want to encourage within young people. However, this style of communication, and mind set is doing no favours to our young people. There are plenty of fabulous young people, however, the promotion of this style of b***shitting, as being in any way acceptable, is risible - and won't lead to any more people being able to win investment for their businesses or job offers.

The crazy thing was that for a moment, we saw a less arrogant Melody in 'Your Fired'. She suddenly became the 26 year old that she is: passionate, wanting to learn and humble. It was only for a brief second, but it left me sad that she wasn't able to be herself - rather she'd decided to portray herself as a Global Leader.

Do you have to be well mannered to get on in business?

Well, it was another interesting Apprentice programme last night wasn't it? There was some jaw dropping behaviour both inside and outside the boardroom. I will discuss this later. What I have also found interesting is a column by Allison Pearson, who compared our Melody to Margaret Thatcher and other high achieving women leaders. Now I personally cannot see any similarity between the two women, other than having a forceful, focused 'verbal' handbag technique. Allison Pearson also argued that people didn't like Melody because she was a b*tch and that these qualities are admired in men but not women.

As edited by the programme - and of course, we can't be totally sure the editing has been completely balanced, Melody is very good at persuading/bulldozing others into agreeing with her. She doesn't listen to other people's advice or views, and even disregarded the chosen panel of tasters, who 'didn't agree' with her ideas. She just latches onto an idea and goes for it. I admire anyone that has the focus and strength of character to fight for what she wants, but surely it is a fatal flaw to disregard other people's opinion, observations and even panel research. I just can't wait to see this woman in the interview stage...

The other person I wish to discuss this week is Zoe, who was just ghastly, to Melody. She's been ghastly to Susan and Natalie in the past. Of course, the venom directed at Melody isn't totally unjustified;  but the personal attacks 'below the belt' to Melody just before an important presentation (were the buyers from Asda able to hear the performance?) was so unprofessional. Talk about shattering the confidence of your team just before an important presentation. Zoe has the ability to fight dirty: real 'girl fight stuff'. One imagines she would have scratched and pulled hair in fights with any girl she disliked at school. I don't know if she resorts to personal attacks when she feels under pressure; she was much better when she wasn't a team leader - but of course this could have been the editing. It was as though she wasn't capable of making a decision, but would lash out at team members rather than take responsibility. You could see her digging a hole as she attacked Melody and then Tom in the board room, and interestingly enough, the person who was the recipient of previous attacks, Susan, wasn't called back into the board room.

I am going to sound like Karren Brady, who hates women behaving in this way, particularly in the board room. Unfortunately, there is a particular type of male (and Daily Mail readers) who consider that all business women are second rate and behave in the way Zoe does. They don't, believe me! However, her behaviour ticks every stereotype of women as leaders, and unfortunately does no women any favours.

I will therefore go to an article I read where ex-Tesco CEO, Terry Leahy recommended that good manners in business was the key to success. Both Melody and Zoe, and also Jim, do not appear to have this characteristic; one because she plays dirty and makes personal attacks, the other two because they are so focused, they will do anything to get where they want, which will include shouting down others; manipulating and not listening. On the other hand Jim was heard saying that Helen was quiet and gentle and he liked her because he coujld get his way. However, one wonders whether he has underestimated her ability to manipulate him!

I am wondering whether people feel that they have to be the loudest; the most aggressive; the most devious in order to be successful in business. I believe you need a focus, determination, energy and charisma. But loud? Your marketing can be loud, but you could be the quietest person but full of energy and charisma!

It's all in the market research

Now I have some inside information on Market Research; I worked in the industry for nearly two years, and learnt two very important things: you can lead the respondent to answer in a particular way and you need more than 4 respondents. I even knew that from an O Level research exercise. But then again, I don't run a global industry. And I don't have a wealth of awards - although I'm up for the viola player of the year award in our household, which is a given, since I'm the ONLY viola player in the household.

It is also not de rigeur to interpret 'very good' and 'excellent' for, 'not really' and 'okay': unless your French isn't quite as good as you've talked yourself up to be. Or perhaps you just didn't like the product and wanted to ensure it wasn't selected. Or maybe you don't have a good grasp of what consumer's might buy, which is a surprise since you run a global organisation and have been mentored by an impressive list of world class thinkers and Nobel Prize Winners.

Please don't think I'm just getting at Melody. She is a tigress and as Lord S said, she will fight for her place in the Apprentice. She also worked incredibly hard getting appointments, and had a stab at speaking French. However, it was all for her own gain; she isn't a team player and had an inability to hear requests for anything that wouldn't further her own position within the process. She based her decisions on 'gut instinct' without considering any evidence and also conveniently 'forgot' to do some tasks that the team leader asked her to - research on La Redoute for example.

Personally I have a problem with individuals that constantly blow their own trumpet: the 'All talk and no action' brigade. They expect everyone to shine their lights on them; illuminating their talent at the expense of everyone else's. My friend Samantha told me that when she met Rupert Murdoch, he had a charisma and he listened to what everyone said. He really paid attention and made you feel that your opinion was valid. He then went away and considered the evidence (statistical and opinion) before making a decision. He runs a successful global business. That is the skill base you need to be successful Melody. I can't wait to see her in the interviews!

“I can take their hearts, I can take their minds,” The Apprentice

“I can take their hearts, I can take their minds,” he dreamed. Now I apologise for blogging late on this particular episode of The Apprentice, but I had been so mesmerised by Jim's mellifluous tones that I was charmed into thinking he liked me; not that he wanted me to do his thing.

Ah! Of course we know that he told the TV viewers that he had a game plan for manipulating his team into being submissive and if the going got tough, then he'd stick the boot in. As he showed in the board room. As Karren kindly summarised "You have a passive aggressive personality". Anyone that has had a boss like this - or a friend for that matter, knows the outcome is heartbreaking. I am sure Jim's team will also be more wary of his games now.

Yes: this bloke does get everyone to work together, and he makes everyone feel valued. He does the eye contact; open body language - even mimicking body language to develop rapport very, very well. Even the frosty Zoe fell for Jim's charms and was dancing to his tune. 

Yet when the evaluation of the task, in the boardroom, took place, he was first to devalue other's contribution, lying and scraping to save his place. We have all worked with or for people that behave like this. How do they gain promotion? How are they so effective? Perhaps they don't make the progress they like; perhaps the reality is that they aren't telling the truth with future plans and opportunities. I worked with a tenor who was exactly this; terribly destructive to colleagues when the going got tough. Slowly we all unravelled the considerable web of deceit, which took a while to recover from.

If you are in work, it is good to have a mentor or someone that you can trust who might not be in your department. Someone that has one step away from the action but might know the characters. A mentor is invaluable for noticing games and situations that are occurring to warn you, and also to provide advice if the going gets tough.

Jim is, of course TV gold and we are waiting for a withering look from Margaret in the interview session!

Glaswegian accents affect success of winning jobs

 I read the following press release yesterday: this was describing the results of a survey on accents and employability.
http://www.responsesource.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=6525

As we all know, discussing accents is an emotive subject for many people. An accent does identify where the speaker is from and class - which for many British people is key. But certain accents provoke prejudice, which I believe could be the cause of the results. My views on accents and where I rank them are different to these results, as I am sure readers would also agree. If I'm analysing the results, I might suggest that there was regional (southern) bias in the research: I doubt if anyone from the north would consider an Essex accent the most preferable accent to have.

 However, the whole issue of accents is interesting when considering 'employability'. In fact a number of well known presenters have said that their middle class accents was a disadvantage when working at the BBC where regional accents are now favoured. To a certain extent, it is 'horses for courses'; a Public School accent for a business with many people of that background would be an advantage, but wouldn't work so well, if they were targeting Liverpool clients. Yet the lovely Ashley in Michel Roux's "Service" demonstrated that he didn't need to speak RP to engage some very posh guests at a country hotel: his warm, endearing personality was a winning formula.

When I first taught in London, the headmistress of the prep school I was working at was incredibly posh. However, upon meeting her family, it transpired that they didn't present themselves in that way, and she had consciously 'lost' her scouse accent between Liverpool and Euston station, to advance her career. Another headmistress I have met: a dynamic, successful primary head, was told to 'get rid of her brummie accent if she wanted to get on' - and this was in Essex.

In the end, it is about being understood; speaking clearly, effectively and appropriately. A thick accent whether it be Public School posh; Glaswegian or Scouse is more difficult to understand than a voice with 'a little' accent, which still provides interest and individuality. However, poor grammar - of the Louise Rednapp/Alesha Dixon "You was great" variety, does not give a good impression; rather it shows the person is lazy and poorly educated. Would I employ them - or even buy from them: no. Would I employ or buy from someone who has a Glaswegian accent - yes, if they spoke clearly, with good grammar!

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.

Calm down dear: just listen

Oh dear: the swarve Vincent had his red card (or the finger) on Wednesday and his downfall wasn't his ability to engage with people (well Jim) but his inability to engage with female team members. How many times did he dismiss his female team mates' suggestions - or even physically remove telephones from their hands to complete a call?
Engagement isn't just about speaking, but it is also listening. Engagement is a two way process: one that  involves NOT JUST speaking, but listening. A good leader has the ability to do this, and something that I hope Vincent goes away with and contemplates.
I was concerned that he seemed to dismiss the women's contributions to the team efforts. Despite Natalie's good advert, this was not acknowledged - and I can only consider that this was due to a blind spot with women. Misogyny has no place in business, and through misjudging the contribution of a section of a team, it weakens your position.

So Vincent: next time you select a team, or work with an existing team, judge individuals' talents based on their ability not their gender.

The Art of Bragging - Adopt The Apprentice style

As you know, I am a great fan of The Apprentice: it is great entertainment, and I spend a great deal of the programme laughing and cringing. I know that the contestants are exhausted and stressed, and that the programmes are very cleverly edited, however, some of the contestants' comments are risible! Of course it takes a particular person to even apply for such a show. I came across the link below, from the BBC, which highlights the communication style of some of the contestants.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-13338023

Of course it is difficult to judge how much to 'brag' - particularly when you are in a contest with other people. There has to be an element of self promotion within any business situation. Whilst we could ask for referrals, there is nothing like 'selling ourselves' or our services. BUT, as seen on The Apprentice, there is a balance, and showing off, or making ridiculous comments, only backfire.

Marketing of celebrities and musicians, is a particularly dangerous area; I am sure I am more cynical because I know an awful lot about this industry, but claims of "The world's best voice", "The most beautiful voice in the world", "You are another Nina Simone - that good", "The best singer song writer the world has ever seen". The problem with these comments are that a creative PR company or X Factor judge has put out a comment about their client. Before we know it, this is quoted as true for that artiste. The artiste has a long way to fall, and in some cases starts to believe the hype.

TV companies that are wanting to publicise an underperforming show "The popular show", "The rating winning show", "The cutting edge, cult show" - even though these programmes have 10% viewing on prime time TV and their viewing numbers are beaten by repeat daytime shows.

Another comment I've recently read "Possibly the best ********** winner we've ever had". - either he is the best or he isn't.

I wonder if individuals are mixing a dream or vision with reality. It is perfectly okay to dream that you are going to set up and run a business, with ultimately a £1M annual turnover. But to say "I'm running a global organisation with a £1M turnover", when you are in startup and the only part of your global empire is your website.

So my tip is: self promote - yes, but always be able to back up what you say with evidence!!!

Good luck.

Where did you get that hat?

The Apprentice on BBC1, continued to entertain last night with another jaw dropping edition. Of course we have to acknowledge the editors in picking the most amusing scenes from many hours of film. However, from a communication perspective, there are a number of priceless scenes!

• A contestant cold calling a rival hotel's procurement (The Ritz) to ask for a copy of their suppliers' list. Karren's face was a picture. The contestant had no idea about building up a business relationship based on trust: let's face it a cold call: asking for The Ritz's invaluable resource that they'd built up over a number of years. Dur!
• The cloche saga; they didn't even know how to pronounce it, let alone know what it was. Yes: there are cloches that are used for gardening, but surely they could work out that a hotel wouldn't need 'garden' cloches.
• The upward negotiation gag; one contestant started with a low price: each time she negotiated with the vendor, she quoted a higher price. I thought negotiation involved trying to get the lowest price: not the highest!
• The lurking presence of a moustached man, whenever a female was on the phone; he barked orders, so she was having two conversations: with the company and him. He even grabbed the phone, mid-conversation, to complete a call. What a negative advert for anyone that was considering working with him.
• The total lack of time spent assessing the nature of the business; those posh, Mayfair shops are quite intimidating at the best of time: unless you are a young successful business person apparently. They just marched into these shops, expecting to negotiate a 'deal' with a huge sense of entitlement. 'They wouldn't even knock 1p off the price" said one contestant. Why do they have to? The King of Tonga pays full price: if the BBC broadcast a company giving even 1p off, their client base would all be on the phone asking for a refund! I presume no prices were displayed; don't they know the saying that if you need to know the price, you can't afford it?
• The hilarious "I have a very important client" comment by Susan, topped by the vendor's "What's that to me". The apprentices made the mistake of believing that they could get anything for the price they wanted. They had a total sense of entitlement and a disregard for the vendor's costs and overheads. 
• The genuine shock and horror faces, when prices were quoted. OMG was said more than once. My husband told me that you try not to give anything away with your body language and what you say, because it weakens your position with negotiating. Has anyone told Susan that?
• Listening; it appeared that they weren't listening to the vendors but just waiting to quote another price. How not to create rapport in one easy lesson.

If we contrast with the wonderful Irish charmer with the sad eyes. He engaged the vendors, and developed a fast rapport. In the butchers, he managed to get another £10 off and a hug from another vendor. His manner was open, friendly and not arrogant.

I am sure they are very tired (they always get up really early and people have told me they are exhausted), BUT why are these basic mistakes made by, well, some of the most successful young business people in the country. Ha! 

The Apprentice Braggers

I am a great fan of The Apprentice, and certainly I will be blogging and podcasting about this entertaining show in the next few weeks. Yes; I say entertaining, because with good editing and casting, the BBC are able to create a show rather than a basic business programme.

I am always astonished by the 'bragging': the mission statements and straplines some of the contestants utter. I know they will have been interviewed for hours and the producer cleverly picks one off the cuff remark. Perhaps I was brought up to be modest, and this is, of course, in a contest, a problem, but some of the statements from contestants is...well....

One of the most memorable comments is from a female who has been 'taught' by The Dalai Lama and Al Gore and has worked on projects with 12 Nobel Peace Prize winners. And how old is she? I'd love to know which school she went to. Perhaps the truth is slightly embroidered; reading books 'teaches' you about a person's values and thoughts. The trouble is that over inflated boasts often put you into a weak position, since others start to joke about you. It is the case of the shepherd boy who cries 'Wolf' one too many times: no one takes you seriously so when you are truthful, you've already lost their trust.

I know we all have to blow our trumpet, and for individuals that are quieter and more modest by nature, this is more of a challenge, but their needs to be a reality check and a balance. My challenge to you, is to start boasting, and when a trusted colleague or friend starts squealing, or accuses you of arrogance, you will know how far is acceptable!!

Humour at a time of tragedy

We appear to be going through a time of tragedy; particularly with the dreadful devastation in Japan. The following article on the BBC website, argues about jokes after a tragedy.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-12775389

As someone that has been a singer at the Association of Funeral Directors' dinner, I can confirm that their humour is 'black'. No doubt this is a coping mechanism for their industry. Likewise I understand that people during the darkest moments of the Second World War used black humour to 'lighten' a situation.

However, we now live in a world where what we say, and more importantly, what others say, is broadcast quickly through the internet. What we might think of as 'black humour' might be deeply offensive and hurtful to someone suffering - and reading a 'tweet' or status update on Facebook. Since you are not in front of that person; they can't hear the nuance of your voice or see your body language, they only have the words to read.

We also live in a world where certain 'comedians' (I use that term very loosely), will say anything and argue that it is 'ironic' or 'challenging contemporary thought' - when in fact it is NOT funny, and audiences are laughing in horror and embarrassment. The trouble with these comedians is that what they say is picked up by the media, making the statement more exposed to everyone - causing more offense. It also raises the profile of the 'comedian' concerned.

So here are my tips for using humour at a time of tragedy:

1. Know your audience; if you are going to use a current topic as a source of humour, check who your audience will be. If it is a family member or close friend and you know their humour, that could be okay. If, you decide to joke about Japan and it is a Japanese audience, it really is not going to be funny. If in doubt, don't say it.
2. Decide on a reasonable time after the tragic event before you make the joke or comment. Immediately after a tragedy, when people are in shock, is not a good time.
3. If you have children who are repeating jokes heard in the playground, try to explain to them about the tragedy (without scaring them) but also to be aware who it is appropriate to repeat those jokes to.
4. If you are a social media fan: Facebook and Twitter, be aware that your humour can be re-tweeted and transmitted throughout the world. Not everyone might have the same humour as you; some might find it offensive and will label you. Using humour on a company account or yours - if it is for personal branding, is dangerous, so use with care.
5. Decide whether or not the joke is actually funny; as I mentioned before, some statements aren't. Repeating them wins no brownie points but labels you as being an idiot.
6. If in any doubt, don't repeat the joke.

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.

Personal Branding Inside and Out 6th April 2011

I am delighted to have been invited to be involved in this fabulous workshop, which features Malcolm Levene: an eminent leader in developing individuals' personal brands and Jorgen Sundberg, who is an expert on personal branding with a particular knowledge in online marketing.

http://personalbrandinginsideoutmarch.eventbrite.com/

This workshop is ideal for middle to senior management individuals who wish to improve their personal profile/branding within an organisation, and also to be aware that they are promoting their company or organisation when interacting with others. The course is also ideal for successful entrepreneurs who are wishing to improve their personal branding.

I will be delivering a session during the day on how the voice and body language makes an impact on your image and brand.

I would be delighted to discuss the course to anyone: do call me on 0844 576 3015 or email susan@executivevoice.co.uk

Clever Girl: Cheryl Cole works with a voice coach

I read an interesting report in the Daily Mail today, saying that Cheryl Cole, who has just won a huge contract to appear on American TV is having vocal coaching.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1360171/X-Factor-USA-Cheryl-Cole-flies-LA-meet-voice-coach-role-preparation.html

I like Cheryl's voice and in particular her accent. The Geordie accent is a warm, friendly, happy accent. However, unless you are familiar with the accent and slang words, it is a challenge to understand what is being said. The same applies to any strong accent, whether it be UK Posh; Texas or even Sarah Palin.

Cheryl has made a very smart move; she is wanting to be a success in USA, so she is modifying her accent and vocabulary for the new audience/environment. Instead of saying 'biscuits' apparently she'll be saying 'cookies' and 'pants' for 'trousers'. She will also be working on her diction and vowel sounds so that her speech is much clearer for the audience.

She is making it easy for her audience to listen to her. By making her accent clear to them, and changing her vocabulary, they won't have to work so hard to listen and understand her. This is a positive, successful approach. How many times have you listened to someone speak in meetings, at conferences or on the TV where it is hard work listening and understanding their accent? Do you switch off too? I certainly do!

Cheryl is doing the right thing by modifying her speech. I wish her the best of luck!

Executive Voice also do 'Accent Calming' services for individuals and teams. Go to our website http://www.executivevoice.co.uk or call 0844 576 3015 to discuss your vocal requirements.

HR Connections Workshop 19th March

Executive Voice are delighted to be involved in this exciting workshop.


http://hosted.vresp.com/679300/474b7f0b31/285247203/a9542e3475/

Aimed at HR professionals, it will give individuals the opportunity to discuss important and challenging issues within the HR work environment. Executive Voice is delivering a short workshop on developing confident and effective communication skills at meetings.

For more details please see the workshop information:

http://hosted.vresp.com/679300/474b7f0b31/285247203/a9542e3475/

If you wish to discuss anything with us, call us on 0844 576 3015 or email susan@executivevoice.co.uk

BBC Radio too middle class?

Oh dear; the BBC are really losing the plot aren't they? We have had a senior BBC Exec accuse the BBC of being too 'middle class' in their programming. Apparently Radio 4 isn't listened to by significant numbers of people from the North. (The question is, is Radio 1?) In another report 'Outnumbered' the award winning sit com is considered too middle class and 'Southern' for the BBCs audience and isn't relevant to many people's lives. This same exec has been involved in cultural highlights such as 'Snog, Marry, avoid' that personally i feel irrelevant to my life.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/bbc/8279381/BBC-Radio-4-too-middle-class-and-London-centric.html

I agree that the BBC - particularly in its news reporting is very London focused. Major news in other regions of the country is often barely featured in the national news. But the report is somewhat naive; people in different parts of the country have different tastes and habits and there is nothing wrong with that. Many people in other regions listen to local radio because they feel it covers news and their lives more effectively. The BBC has some fantastic local radio stations. Radio 4 is a national radio and has to cover different material and subject matter.

There is a place for different regional accents - provided they speak clearly, just as RP must be spoken with good diction. What I can't forgive the BBC for, is using presenters and judges that are not able to speak English clearly; I will throw something at my TV if I hear another "You was' from Louise Redknapp or Alesha. That isn't being middle class; it is about providing good clear, English.

The most irritating radio voice

I love listening to voices; they reveal so much about a person - age, where they come from etc. We all have personal preferences for the type of voice we love listening to, and George Bernard Shaw was correct in saying (I've simplified this) that as soon as an Englishman opens his mouth, he will always find someone that dislikes him. This is somewhat harsh but people are prejudiced about certain accents; voice types- or even gender. I saw the following article about the voices on radio that listeners particularly disliked.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/celebritynews/8304155/Who-has-the-most-irritating-radio-voice.html

As you can see from the article, certain voices provoke a strong emotional response - with some people being quite rude about individuals, who are essentially strangers.

Having a 'unique' sounding voice CAN be useful - think Janet Street Porter or Brian Sewell; their voices and speaking styles are part of their persona. However particular voices could be detrimental to an individual - for building their personal brand or for creating a negative emotional response when they speak.

It is difficult to receive feedback from people you know well about your voice, but asking for constructive feedback on this area from your boss at your annual review is a good way to be self aware. Also courses Executive Voice offer opportunities to discover how effective your voice is in different situations without provoking negative emotional responses.

If you wish to be an effective speaker, here are a few pointers to ensure your voice is working for you.

• Speak with clear diction. Make it easy for people to listen to you.
• If you have a strong accent - whether it be a regional accent, Toff's, speaking English as a second language, speak slowly and clearly to make it easy for people to listen to you.
• Watch your pitch; if you speak with a high pitched voice it is more difficult for a number of people - particularly men - to listen to you.
• Be aware of your listeners' ears; they might be used to listening to a southern accent and will need to 'tune in' to another accent. Speak slower and be aware of not using regional slang.
• Make your voice interesting to listen to; a monotone drone will send people to sleep!
• The voice isn't just about the sound of the voice but also the way you deliver your speech; be engaging with your body language - inviting people to listen to what you have to say.
• Record yourself speaking. Be honest with yourself; do you have a nasal or unpleasant tone in your voice? Would it annoy others? If so, do something about it.
• Always smile when you speak; it lifts up the voice making it more engaging for others to listen to.

Speak to executive Voice if you would like some individual training to make your voice interesting to other people. Visit our website or call us on 0844 576 3015 for more information.

Are you less employable if you have a strong accent?

At the weekend I read an article about a gentleman that was not employed for a particular job. On asking for feedback from his interviewers, they revealed that his accent was one reason why he wasn't selected.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1353606/Shemi-Leira-turned-job-African-accent-rich-customers.html

This area is always of interest to me. Accents provoke emotion in everyone; certain accents make you feel negative about them, others positive. It could be based on expectation or whether or not you can understand them easily.

On two separate occasions Executive Voice have provided training for individuals and teams, where one of the issues was 'accents'. In the first, a highly qualified and valued professional received training due to his accent resulting in more work for the support staff. Part of his job required him to dictate information via a telephone line and his secretarial team were not able to understand what he was saying. This resulted in errors; more time being spent on his documents and unhappy clients. Clients also had difficulty communicating with him by telephone. The company valued him very highly and were aware that this had become a major issue and was affecting the business. Through training the gentleman learnt how to dictate more effectively; slowing down his speech and being more precise with his diction. He maintained his accent, but was able to modify it for workcase situations.

In the other instance, we worked with an inspirational team of estate agents based in the North East. Their warm, friendly approach to clients - many of whom were based in the South East or who were foreign, was seen as over familiar for a client/supplier relationship. Clients also found it quite difficult to understand the team on the phone and often there were 'unprofessional' conversations in the office that were clearly audible in the background when clients were on the phone or in the office. Whilst not wishing to dampen the natural positive characteristics of the team, we made them aware of professional and private behaviour, relationships and conversations. We also focused on how to modify the voice with clearer diction on the telephone, so that clients were able to understand more easily. Again, there was a marked increase in sales once the training was implemented.

If we regard Michel Roux's Service, all of the trainees had accents: yes, RP is an accent. They all modified how they spoke; what they said; their behaviour and body language to work in a Five Star environment. Their accents weren't an issue as it was the overall package that counted.

So here are the top tips for ensuring you are employable, whatever your accent is:

• Speak clearly and if necessary slow down your speech to ensure people understand you.
• On the telephone, take special care to listen and speak very clearly.
• Develop rapport with good eye contact and positive, open body language.
• Check the environment you are going to work in; is it an environment you are familiar with or wish to work in? If not, look for another opportunity.

http://www.executivevoice.co.uk

The 'Fine Dining' experience - apply it to your business

I'm bowled over by the excellent Michel Roux's Service on BBC 2. Michel has picked a group of young people wishing to go into the hospitality industry, and train them up to become excellent employees - and the offer of scholarships to two participants, to enable them to study further.

The first point that struck me was that the young people had little experience of receiving good service; how could they anticipate how to provide good service. As Mary Portas is exploring, High Streets don't offer a good customer service, and a number of food chains also don't focus on this side of the business.

I have experienced working with one of Michel's teams recently, in my capacity as an entertainment provider. I was struck by how hard everyone worked; how they anticipated what was required by the clients BEFORE the event as well as during, and how they welcomed us into the team: giving us positive feedback throughout the evening. We all felt very privileged to be part of the team! I will be blogging on this programme again!

So what does this programme offer business owners that aren't in the Hospitality industry? A smile; what you say (for example Good morning, not hiya!!) and an engaging body language are all ways of making a huge impact; a 'Magical Moment' for the client. Executive Voice offers individual and team training in using the voice and body language; to engage your employees with clients.
Call us on 0844 576 3015 for more details

Voicebox Transplant - which voice would you choose?

I read an incredible article today about a woman in California, who has had a voicebox (larynx) transplant.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-12253257

A previous article on the BBC website described how this surgery is able to transform people's lives that previously were not able to speak after particular surgery.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7912621.stm The interesting point about this is that with a transplanted larynx, the patient has a 'new' voice. Before, the patient might have had a high pitched voice, but after surgery, it could be lower, or with a different timbre.

For fun, I have created a survey asking for your favourite voices and if you had the choice of changing voice, what would you request! Answer online below.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/7TNYB9W

For more details of Executive Voice go to our website

Smile, Speak, Serve

Last night I watched the wonderful Mary Portas in her new crusade to improve customer service within the Retail Industry. Everyone has experienced poor customer service when shopping, and it is very frustrating at times. I have stopped shopping at certain shops due to the shop assistants' attitude.

However, poor customer service is not exclusively found within the retail industry and it is something we ALL need to be aware of, since the majority of use work within the service industry, or if we are selling a product, there are still customers that require service for delivery of the products. Mary is quite right in saying that good customer service elevates a business to a new level.

I like Mary's somewhat cheesy take on customer care: "Smile, Speak, Serve", but it can be applied to any business situation.

Smile: When you smile you become more approachable; you voice alters becoming less tense. This is something that can be applied on the telephone as well as face to face.

Speak: Engage the customer; acknowledge they are there; welcome them. Answering the telephone the first thing one says could be "Good morning" - you'd be amazed at how many businesses don't answer the phone like this.

Serve: "How can I help you?" is the easiest thing to say, whether you are face to face or on the phone.

The programme didn't touch body language or intentions. Unfortunately some people are trained to say particular things (scripted cold calls for example, rarely sound authentic), and they can sound insincere or their body language is saying something else.

It is a very interesting programme and certainly I'm hooked! I look forward to the next programme which I will be blogging about.

For more information on how to speak on the phone, buy our CD "Make an Impact on the Telephone"

Remedies for coughs

Coughs are potentially a disaster when you are wishing to speak in all areas of business. It is awful if you are on the phone and have a coughing fit; presentations and public speaking engagements could be embarrassing if you start coughing, and as for meetings: you cause a disturbance in the meeting and aren't able to listen effectively. We have also heard radio and TV presenters suffer with coughing fits that result in an awkward pause.

Coughs are mainly a protective reflex to remove foreign ­bodies, mucus or irritants such as dust from the respiratory tract, explains Alyn Morice, professor of respiratory ­medicine at the University of Hull, and one of the country’s leading experts. ‘But persistent coughs can also be caused by viruses and ­infections,’ he says. He recommends that if you have a persistent cough for eight weeks or more, you should visit your GP.

This blog doesn't cover symptoms of coughs; coughs that almost become a nervous reaction or medical remedies. However, it is important to consider the physical outcomes that could affect your effectiveness to speak. These include:

• Having a husky voice.
• Having a sore throat
• Tiredness due to not sleeping
• Having a voice that becomes very quiet
• Other symptoms such as achy abdominal muscles due to coughing.
• Generally feeling poorly with other flu like symptoms

When we cough, we put a lot of pressure on our larynx and over time this swells up - causing a husky voice. If we have an infection in our larynx, it can swell up and mucus can surround this area. These all result in the voice becoming more husky, and even difficulty speaking.

It is really important to take care of your voice when you have a cough; Paul O'Grady mentioned on his radio programme last weekend that he had 'Panto Voice'. He had suffered 'flu during the run and returned to work whilst he was still ill: he didn't want to let down his fans. As a result, he had a cough, sore throat and very husky voice. There are plenty of casualties in the theatre and opera world where individuals have returned to performing when they are still suffering from coughs - resulting in long term damage.

Obviously most areas of business work do not require such usage - unless you are training or doing extensive speaking, but it is important to take care of your voice if you have a cough.

• Try to avoid dry environments, dusty environments and those that irritate your throat so that you cough.
• Remember to drink a lot of fluids (not alcohol), since it is easy to become dehydrated.
• Gargle with a salt water solution 3 times a day, to cleanse your throat and manage any infection.
• Go to a pharmacist who will recommend the correct cough mixture for your cough.
• We recommend you take a night cough mixture at night, which will allow you to sleep better.
• At night, use 2 or more pillows to keep your head up higher. We have found this helps with night coughs.
• Steam your throat with a bowl of very hot water with eucalyptus oil in (take care); breathe this in with a tea towel over your head. Repeat twice a day.
• Avoid using your voice where possible; text, use emails and letters and write notes!
• If the cough symptoms persist for 8 weeks or more, go to your GP.

For more information on Executive Voice go to http://www.executivevoice.co.uk

Be prepared in the cold period

I don't wish to sound like a Government health warning, but this time of year with the common cold, flu like symptoms and in the worst cases, Swine Flu, could play havoc for your voice and communication effectiveness. When you feel unwell it is always a challenge to speak clearly and with charisma - or energy. Sneezing, coughing, having a sore throat and having catarrh also make it more difficult to speak confidently.

With these symptoms, it is easy for the body to get dehydrated, which can potentially cause harm or even damage to the vocal folds - and your voice. It is especially important at this time of year to drink plenty of water throughout the day. Central heating is on which dehydrates the body, and this, with cold/flu symptoms is potentially very harmful to the voice.

In the next few days I will focus on different cold symptoms, and how best to cope with these when working.

If you have any questions, or would like to bring up a specific issue, call me on 0844 576 3015 or contact me

My new year's resolutions

I have recently read a couple of blogs where they suggest you write down your aims for 2011; they become public and writing them down makes it easier to remember them. Of course, situations and opportunities change - and these aims aren't written in stone. For example, last year, we decided, mid-year, to rebrand our other business, which meant we didn't focus on one of our targets, however, I believe that long term the re-branding will result in increased results.

So here are my targets for 2011 - for Executive Voice.

1. Create and broadcast video messages every week.
2. Podcast on audioboo each week. See how this can link to itunes??
3. Keep blogging
4. Increase traffic to the blog
5. Ask for reader questions to get material to answer queries
6. Do some tele/video classes
7. Collaborate with other professionals on joint projects
8. Write a book
9. Do some more work on radio/TV
10. Market the CDs
11. Write articles
12. Write in publications
13. Change to Wordpress (for the website)
14. Incorporate blog into the website

I'll let you know how things are going!