I had been invited for the fourth year to give a workshop and speak about voice and leadership at the Global Masterclass Learning & Development Leadership at Nyenrode, Breukelen.
It was such an inspiring day with such an inspiring audience of senior executives. 35 leaders from all over the globe gathered together at Nyenrode to learn everything about the Human Voice in relation to leadership.
Voice and leadership
“you are all experts in the field of leadership aren’t you?
Before we start I would like you to share with me the 3 key points what leadership is about at the moment.
Diversity? Inclusion? Psychological safety? A Leader in every chair?
Please share with me your thoughts, your 3 key points.
and
also tell me
If you could choose, what would you like to sound like?
—– Check in —–
Voice and leadership
The sound of a leader
What does the voice, the sound of a leader sounds like?
Which qualities does the sound of a leader needs to contain?
Question for you!
Which sound qualities makes a leader a leader?
—– Plenair —–
Voice and leadership
The sound of a leader
In my opinion: a leader in every chair
Did you ever explore your voice and all its possibilities?
As a leader of your own voice:
– Do you know your voice?
– What you can do with it?
– Which qualities it has?
– What those qualities convey?
– How to switch it on, or more importantly, even better, how to switch it off when needed?
Voice and leadership
The sound of a leader
In my opinion it’s all about diversity and inclusion
Why?
Well, in every chair a leader
35 leaders
35 voice’s
35 instruments
35 keys
35 bridges between 35 inner worlds & 35 outer worlds…
The sound of a leader is about inclusion
Yes, really!
With all of us, all our 35 voices, we could be a choir!
Gospel, classic, church
Name it and we can be it
We need you all!
The sound of a leader is about diversity
Who of you knows his or her voice quality?
Soprano, mezzo soprano, alto, basso?
Hands!
We all need your differences in soundqualities in our choir to create music!
A leader in every chair
Inclusion & diversity
Let’s experience it!
Let’s try!
Shall we?
—– Singing —–
So voice and leadership
The sound of a leader
A leader in every chair
Inclusion & diversity
It’s all about inviting, connecting & listening
and then together we create music!
And this is just one aspect of the importance of the sound of a leader
There is another one
For me the sound of a leader is also about psychological safety
Your words are the messengers of knowledge
Your voice is the messenger underneath that knowledge
Words & Voice
They work together as a team
Words are
– what you have to say
– where you want to go to
– sharing information
Voice is
– what you feel about what you have to say
– where you truly see the direction you want to go to
– about the importance of the information you share
Your words, your voice
They simply can’t live without each other
The message simply falls flat without each other
Even worse
They die without each other
—- Speak in a monotonous way, without emotion —-
Without soundqualities a message, your words, you as a leader
becomes unsafe, unworthy for the people around you to listen to
in work life
in personal life
Are you o.k.?
And that is exactly what we don’t want to happen as a leader
Don’t we?
Being seen
Being received as unsafe…
Worst nightmare
So
Words and voice
They simply can’t live without each other
The sound of a leader
Now we know that words are head driven
What about voice then?
What drives your voice?
Any idea?
—– plenair —–
Voice is value driven
Emotions are value driven
Even our breath is value driven
‘When you own your breath, nobody can steel your peace’
And this ladies and gentleman
This is the place where authenticity lives
This is the place where leadership lives
So if you want to explore your leadership voice & all its sound qualities
If you want to learn how to breathe your thoughts in an authentic way
We first need to dive in your values
And that is exactly what we are going to do here today in this workshop
Therefor I made a form
I’ll hand it out
—– Handout values form —–
As a warming up I would like you to put a cross in front of the 10 most important personal values that you breathe in your personal life
—– Few minutes —–
Now choose the top 3 most important values from those chosen 10
Pause
What do they look like?
What do they sound like?
What do they feel like?
Where do they live in your body?
What kind of sensations does it give?
—– Share one word plenair —–
Now I would like you to put a circle in front of your 3 most important work values
That your company breathes
That you breathe at your company
Pause
What do you see?
What occurs/appears?
Is there a difference?
—– Share 2 on 2 with neighbor —–
And last but not least
I would like you to put a small line in front of the 3 most important values a leader should breathe in whatever situation
Pause
What emerges?
What do you notice?
—– Share in groups of 3 —–
Share your values with each other
Personal, Work, leader
Share your findings
Short!
—– Triade —–
—– Plenair —–
Per group 1 person
Shares with the whole group the most striking leadership values that occur
Sound qualities & Leadership values
Your voice & Leadership values
It’s all about connecting and inviting
Everything is relationship, connection
The quality of connection
So, let’s connect!
—– Plenair Connecting Sound Qualities to Leadership Values —-
What does ….. value sounds like?
Etc
Etc
—– Call to action —–
Now your turn
Do you breathe your values through your voice?
Are your words connected with your own values through your voice?
What about your own top 3 personal values in relation to the sound qualities as a leader?
And
How do you sound like?
Trustworthy?
Safe?
Authentic?
Some one to listen to?
Do you invite?
Do you listen to create music?
If you could choose, what would you love to sound like?
And
What do you need to get there?
Anneke Brouwer Systemic – Dialogic Speaking Coach | Executive Voice Expert | TedxInsead Coach | TEDxWassenaar Organiser
Praktijk voor Stemtraining en Systemische – Dialogische Sprekerscoaching van Executives
info@annekebrouwer.nl
06-10721812