The first thing I do when I get a request for a TV appearance is jot down three to five talking points; the second thing I do is think about what I am going to wear. The latter isn’t as girly or superficial as it seems. What we wear is, after all, part of our communication strategy.
And from my dear friend, Sharon, who is a celebrity stylist, I have learned that what looks good to the naked-eye doesn’t always translate well onscreen – especially with HDtv! Her point: Use your attire to let your personality shine, but not at the expense of your message, mission, and movement.
Channeling Sting & The Police
As I prepare for any speaking engagement, especially one that will be captured on film, I hear Sharon’s “voice” in my head saying things like “remember the colors that I told you look good on-air; avoid distracting patterns; what have you worn on-air recently; be mindful of the dress or skirt length especially if you are sitting down,” etc. I call her voice my “fashion director.”
But I hear other “voices” throughout my day, as well, whether I’m doing a TV appearance, writing, coaching a client, conducting a training seminar, or hanging with my family and friends. These “voices” just didn’t have names until two weeks ago.
I had the awesome pleasure and privilege of being both a speaker and onsite coach at Alexia Vernon’s inaugural Moxie Camp a few weeks ago. One of the many benefits of the weekend was sitting in on the other speakers’ sessions, such as the fabulous Jenny Blake’s. She had us do an exercise from her Make Sh*t Happen program where we focused on identifying our fears and barriers – the ones that show up as “people” in our head when we make big, audacious goals. (Awesome question, right?)
For maximum effect, I am sure, Jenny gave us a few short minutes for this exercise. And below is what I wrote without any deliberation — these are taken from my notes, in the order written:
- CFO
- Fashion Director
- Creative Director
- Communication Director
- Representation Director
- Legacy Director
Lest you think I am losing my bearings, I bet you have your internal, invisible voices, too. C’mon…admit it -;o) While you are it, why not take a moment to list/label your voices.
After asking us to recognize the “people” (aka voices) in our heads, Jenny then asked us to think about the ways in which our voices amplify our fears as we work toward fulfilling our dreams and goals. And then she said…
…what do you want to say to them… (Damn, that’s powerful!)
What became crystal clear from Jenny’s exercise is that our invisible voices always have something to say. At times, the words are encouraging; at other times, they hinder our progress and growth. With that in mind, I said to mine: Protect me, but don’t block me. (Hmm…I think that is a tweetable – click here to share.)
So tell me, what would you say to your voices? Leave a comment to share both what you’d tell your “people” as well as the labels you’ve given your peeps.
p.s. If you are overwhelmed by debt, you won’t want to miss July’s Q&A Call on Monday, July 16th! Click here for the dial-in details.
