How To Find Your Authentic Voice

How To Find Your Authentic Voice

Your authentic voice is who you really are.  When you find your authentic voice, you can express it to everyone you come into contact with.  Being authentic means being confident in who you really are and self-assured when you bring yourself into the workplace.

Your authentic voice is a culmination of who you are, the impact you hope to make, and your career path.

So how do you find your authentic voice?  Below are three key ways you can find your authentic voice.

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VIP Communications Pass Video: Tone Of Voice

1. Your Story

Your story makes up who you are.  Your authentic voice comes from all of the previous experiences you've had.  This is what defines who you are as a person.  You must have a strong sense of who you are, because if you don't, you are more likely to compromise your core beliefs and authenticity.

Several factors influence your story.

• Experiences - Your experiences shape your story.  These experiences make up who you are and your motivations behind what you do. For example, many childhood experiences can shape what you want to do for a career. You may have had to get your tonsils taken out and decided you wanted to become a doctor.  Or maybe you had an exceptional teacher who encouraged you to go out for the debate team and introduced you to the practice of law. As you find your authentic voice, think about your past experiences and how they impacted your choices.
• Mental Barriers - Mental barriers are the negative thoughts stemming from past experiences.  These can prevent you from finding your authentic voice and communicating confidently. Unfortunately, negative thoughts can stay with us.  To prevent mental barriers from getting in the way of finding your authentic voice, you will want to take away the power the mental barrier has.  For example, think back to a previous experience you didn't enjoy. Maybe you were told your voice sounds funny, or perhaps you messed up while speaking in front of a group of people. Were those criticisms valid? Now ask yourself –  do you still want to hold onto them? That was then. This is now. People will not remember what blunder or stumble you previously might have had.
• What Makes You Unique - You are unique.  As you think about your story, consider all of the things that make you unique.  These are defining characteristics.  Your uniqueness can be an innate quality or comprised of past experiences. For example, maybe you can easily relate to others, or have a lot of empathy towards others. You could also be uniquely qualified based on your experiences.  For example, your years working for start-up companies makes you uniquely qualified to start your own business. Your background, attitude, the way you speak, learn, and behave are all part of what makes you unique.

You will find your authentic voice when you can fully see who you are and claim your identity.

 

Your Impact

Your impact is the lasting effect or changes you'd like to be a part of. You have to decide how you will connect with the people around you and how you will impact them. If you want to have a lasting impact on others, you have to communicate confidently with them. 

Consider the following:

• Confident Communication - One of the most significant ways you can be more confident in your communication is by speaking effectively. When you communicate effectively, your audience receives your message the way you intended. Effective communication is clear and concise.  Consider the following two examples:

Option #1 - "Tomorrow, we will be hosting a virtual town hall meeting at 5 pm.  Everyone is invited to attend. Please check your email for login instructions."

Option #2 "We need to have a town hall meeting, there are a lot of things to discuss, and I think we all would want to be there for it.  So, because of this, I have decided to schedule a meeting, Tomorrow, at 5 pm.  Now, does anyone have a conflict?  If so, I can possibly change the time, but it is important for everyone to attend, of course, if you can, well, everyone is invited.  I think instructions to attend have been sent, but I will have to double-check."

As you can see, the first option is incredibly clear and concise.  The second option leaves a lot of room for interpretation.  When you are an effective communicator, your audience understands exactly what you intended to say.

• How You Are Perceived - The impact you make on others is primarily derived from how others perceive you. In other words, do you have credibility in the workplace? There are many ways you can gain credibility in the workplace.  For example, being consistent in your work in one way to gain credibility.  If your superiors and coworkers can count on you to get your job done at your highest level, they will perceive you as credible. The more credible you are, the more impact your message has.
•  Tone + Body Language - If you want your authentic voice to impact others, you have to be mindful of your tone and body language. This is because your tone of voice and body language can significantly impact how your message is received. For example, having a confident posture will make others take notice of your message.  This means standing up straight with your shoulders back.  Or if you are speaking in a virtual setting, sitting on the edge of your seat. When it comes to your tone of voice, you will want to ensure you vary your tone, so your message is more interesting. Mastering non-verbal communication will help you become confident in your communications.

To find your authentic voice, you have to become a confident communicator.  When you do this, you will have a lasting impact on those around you.

 

Your Path

To find your authentic voice, you have to know where you are going.  In other words, what skills and opportunities will you use to share your message with those around you? For example, are you hoping to become the CEO of your company someday?  If so, you're going to need to hone certain skills and find opportunities. 

Consider the following:

• Your Skills - There are many different types of skills you may have.  Hard skills are the technical skills needed to do your job.  For example, if you are a computer programmer, you will need to know several programming languages. This skill is something you can learn at a school. Then, there are soft skills. Soft skills are interpersonal skills.  You can learn these skills, but often aren't taught at school. For example, one soft skill is teamwork. Learning how to work with a team is important for any career. Your skills will help you get you to your goal.
• Find Opportunities - If you want to advance in your career, you have to find opportunities. This can mean searching for opportunities or creating them for yourself. For example, if you want to increase your visibility around the office, consider volunteering to lead a project. The more opportunities you give yourself, the more chances you will have to build your credibility and increase your impact. 
• Growth Mindset - As you develop your authentic voice, you must maintain a growth mindset. This is because being a life-long learner is key to career success. A growth mindset will keep you open to opportunities. For example, let's say you have to learn a new software system. You don't know how to use it, but the entire office must transfer to the latest software system. When you have a growth mindset, you see this as an opportunity to learn and gain a new skill. A growth mindset will help you as you advance in your career. 

Your path is how you will share your message with those around you. As you hone your skills and find opportunities, you will have maximum impact. 

In the end, your story, impact, and path are all part of finding your authentic voice. When you know who you are, and where you are going, you will be able to have a lasting impact on those around you.

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