April 2012: Find Your Own Voice

As leaders, it’s easy to fall into the trap of trying to sound like someone else. We ask speechwriters to make us sound good.  We have ghost-writers pen communications that might be eloquent but fail to reflect our natural speech patterns and language.  Or maybe we do our own communicating but we work diligently to project the expected (and dreaded) “corporate voice” instead of our own.  Remember that your style of communicating – your unique voice -- is a vital element of your authentic leadership.

Even more important than style is substance.  To find your leadership voice, you must also pinpoint the issues and aspirations that mean the most to you and ensure that those messages become an integral, consistent part of your communications platform. 

Remember that when it comes to communications, authenticity trumps eloquence every time.  This is particularly true in the context of building trust, which is the cornerstone of effective leadership.  It’s fine to have other people assist with your communications.  Just be sure they’re capturing the real you.