Speaking with an Authentic Voice

These thoughts come from a couple of months ago doing another exercise out of the “Leadership step by step” book by Joshua Sprodek.

Speaking with an authentic voice. What is that? The idea of the exercise is to say whatever comes into ones head unfiltered. The same words that I was talking about on my post on my inner monologue. It is to express the thoughts that are my inner monologue, honest and raw, verbally.

I’ve been experimenting with this idea over time and it has had quite an effect. There are definitely times and places where one needs to be more guarded or thoughtful, but in all it does help to connect with people and breaks down barriers to communication.

I must admit, I have always wanted to work out ways to break down social barriers or just fears of being unable to connect with someone simply because I don’t know what to say.

To start off expressing an authentic voice, begin by talking to oneself in one’s own space where nobody can hear, just to practice expressing these thoughts. Then after a little practice starting with people one knows or trusts.

Speaking in an authentic voice actually has a profound effect. I feel like I am being myself more and perhaps others also sense this. I do express my opinions more often and it can cause offence. It does create sometimes some difficulties, but it also has a vortex sense of pulling people closer due to the honesty of expression in saying what is perhaps obvious, honestly and a certain amount of vulnerability that it fosters.

I have noticed that it’s not a great thing to do when I am highly emotional, which ironically is what I feel I need to do when I am in that state. It’s more a time to hold back a little until I find a sense of calm to sort my thoughts.

But in everyday situations it helps me to strike up conversations and be more open to others.

I do want to add something about my situation. I live in a country where the language is not my first language. As well as I can speak it and I would consider myself fluent enough to be understood on any idea I express, there are barriers due to my vocabulary or different social norms or also just the way that German people interact, the level of openness and connection.

Interestingly enough as I moved away from Australia and started speaking different languages I seemed to build connections with others quite quickly. And some of this I put down to only knowing a limited amount of words and therefore, pretty much always saying anything that came into my head. It was always very direct and concise, yet authentic at the same time!