What Music Are You Making?

Sound...it's all around us. We even hear it when we're still in the womb. In utero, our brains begin to pick up frequencies that are in close proximity. We actually begin to be affected by those waves of music, voices, as well as natural and unnatural sounds of the environment that are in close proximity to our internal, temporary "home".

As it turns out, music has the most powerful impact on us. Listen to this very brief TED video on Sound by Julian Treasure on "How Sound Affects Us." http://tinyurl.com/ygkvbqv

In a sense all of it is some kind of "music" to our brain. As Julian Treasure says, it does affect us in 4 key ways. He speaks quite a bit about this in the context of businesses, retail in particular. So let's take this science into the context of leadership and interpersonal exchanges. What music are you making in the minds of others? What impact is the way you say things having on the people you love, work with, want action and buy-in from? There is much talk, study, classes and theory about what to say and I think equal if not more learning needs to be engrained in terms of how one says things. Because just like music, our voices - tone - speed - inflection- can either create a cacaphony that people's minds will want to shut out or a melody that is calming, relaxing, energizing, and inviting that entices their minds to stay open, be present, engaged, and curious. (Note: if you're in the presence of the other person, your facial expression and body language will also help or hurt the impact your wish to have.)

So think about and pay attention to the impact you are having on others when you speak to them in person or on the phone. Watch for signs of the urge to flee or the urge to stay as you speak. What reactions are you noticing? Are they wincing? Does a crease appear between their eyebrows?  Are they looking away or down? Do they Increase the physical distance between you and them? Do they try to cut you off or truncate the conversation? or  Do you experience them smiling, asking more questions, offering to sit and continue the conversation, moving closer, brows are relaxed? Nodding their head? (Not nodding off...oh no, not that!)

As a leader, you will have to engage many constituencies and deliver all manner of news. If you've been wondering why your message isn't being heard or worse bought into, it could be due to several reasons and one of them could be the music of your voice.  Your thinking could be right on the money and your strategy and execution sound. However, if your delivery of that message is discordant with what you want your audience to feel, results can be astonishingly contrary to what you expect or desire. Your voice is your instrument to carry your message on the waves of sound to those who need to hear it. How that message lands in their brains and what it triggers will be determined by how well tuned your delivery is. So pay attention and fine-tune your delivery so that you may create in your listeners a symphony of confidence, connectivity, energy, thoughtfulness, positivity and desire to hear more.

Cool Link

Mental sharpness getting a bit dull? Is it taking you longer to recall information? Do you find yourself searching for words in the middle of a conversation? Do you tend to forget people's names after you just met them? I found a great site that can help you with that by challenging your brain with different games that focus on specific aspects of your brain's thinking compartments! Check it out.  www.lumosity.com