Listening to Classic FM as I work, I have become conscious of the effect of a change of sound. The music itself creates a mood that could be jolly, contemplative or simply relaxed. But there are interruptions. Three in particular.
The first occurs when the tuning slips. This creates a rising tension, despite the smooth, gentle music that may be playing, and I have to rise and give the dial a little twist. Of course this only applies to radios that do not have automatic selection.
When this happens, it forces me to switch my attention from my writing and to the radio. It also makes me consider the lesson it offers: in relationships, if the tuning is slightly off, if we are not on the same wavelength, there is tension even if all the other ingredients are fine.
The second interruption comes from the ad breaks. I have never understood why music stations do not exercise some editorial control over the sounds of the ads they broadcast. In the midst of a programme of refined music, there could be a raucous sales pitch that lowers the tone. Even as I was writing this, a typical example was broadcast!
A similar experience occurs in, for example, networking meetings. You could be enjoying a conversation with an interesting new acquaintance, when someone wanders up and cuts in, disturbing the rhythm of the moment. Are we guilty of such insensitivity ourselves, I wonder?
The third interruption occurs when the programme announcer or DJ (is that what they are called on Classic FM?) speaks at the end of a piece, and introduces the next one, or when there is a break for news. Here too, I notice the quality of the speaker's voice.
Sometimes this station's 'classical' music is served up by someone who sounds like a pub barman reading out the day's specials from the blackboard. It jars. And it gets in the way of the information being imparted.
Isn't that also the case when we hear a speech or business presentation? We may want to hear the information being presented, but the speaker's voice may get in the way. The voice is the vehicle for our spoken business messages, whether it is from the platform, across a desk or over the phone.
What I do is to make people aware of the importance of the voice, and show them how to sound better. It certainly makes the message so much more attractive.
Phillip
Monday 30 August 2010
Wednesday 18 August 2010
Is it you ... or someone else?
In April 1969, Robin Knox-Johnston became the first man to circumnavigate the world non-stop and single handed. Throughout the '70s his exploits continued to raise his profile. At about the same time, his brother, Richard, was making a name for himself as a speaker.
He was booked for an event that I attended. Like many others in the room, I had heard of Robin but not of Richard, and he knew that. His opening line was, "Hands up anyone who was expecting Robin." At the time, I wondered if the event organiser raised his hand!
The American motivational speaker, Les Brown, tells of the time he was invited to speak at a venue that featured Pat Boone as the main attraction. The place was packed. And when the MC announced him, the applause rang out. Les walked on stage and the applause died! The audience was expecting Les Brown and his Band of Renown.
Les says, "I didn't say anything. I just walked around for a bit, then I said, "Surprise!"
Another time he was invited to speak to an audience of people with endless degrees in psychology. He himself has had no college education and in fact was labelled Educable Mentally Retarded at school. "But," as he put it, "they invited me. And I accepted."
The event's chairman introduced him as "Dr Les Brown", and Les interrupted him, saying, "I'm not Dr Les Brown." The chairman then suggested he introduce himself. So he told the audience, "Not only am I not Dr Les Brown, but I am Educable Mentally Retarded!" There was a thud as the chairman's head hit the table. But Les soon had his listeners humming.
I've also been mistaken for someone else. In the days when I had a high profile in the newspaper business, I was contacted by a trade delegate from a Far Eastern embassy in London. He invited me and my wife to dinner. As the dinner progressed, it became clear to me that he thought I was my elder brother, who was then a prominent financial journalist. But I enjoyed the dinner all the same.
My point about mistaken identity is that we should not make the mistake about ourselves. If we accept the impression others may have of us and try to fit the mould, we'll be uncomfortable and likely to fail. I believe we should start by being clear about who and what we are, make it our business to let others know, and aim to succeed as the persons we are, not as the persons they may want us to be.
Phillip
He was booked for an event that I attended. Like many others in the room, I had heard of Robin but not of Richard, and he knew that. His opening line was, "Hands up anyone who was expecting Robin." At the time, I wondered if the event organiser raised his hand!
The American motivational speaker, Les Brown, tells of the time he was invited to speak at a venue that featured Pat Boone as the main attraction. The place was packed. And when the MC announced him, the applause rang out. Les walked on stage and the applause died! The audience was expecting Les Brown and his Band of Renown.
Les says, "I didn't say anything. I just walked around for a bit, then I said, "Surprise!"
Another time he was invited to speak to an audience of people with endless degrees in psychology. He himself has had no college education and in fact was labelled Educable Mentally Retarded at school. "But," as he put it, "they invited me. And I accepted."
The event's chairman introduced him as "Dr Les Brown", and Les interrupted him, saying, "I'm not Dr Les Brown." The chairman then suggested he introduce himself. So he told the audience, "Not only am I not Dr Les Brown, but I am Educable Mentally Retarded!" There was a thud as the chairman's head hit the table. But Les soon had his listeners humming.
I've also been mistaken for someone else. In the days when I had a high profile in the newspaper business, I was contacted by a trade delegate from a Far Eastern embassy in London. He invited me and my wife to dinner. As the dinner progressed, it became clear to me that he thought I was my elder brother, who was then a prominent financial journalist. But I enjoyed the dinner all the same.
My point about mistaken identity is that we should not make the mistake about ourselves. If we accept the impression others may have of us and try to fit the mould, we'll be uncomfortable and likely to fail. I believe we should start by being clear about who and what we are, make it our business to let others know, and aim to succeed as the persons we are, not as the persons they may want us to be.
Phillip
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