 Most of us profess surprise when we hear our recorded voice—especially if we have not heard it before. We ask: Do I really sound like that?
There’s an easy explanation for experiences like this, says William Hartmann, a physics professor at Michigan State University who specializes in acoustics and psychoacoustics. In a recent New York Times article, Professor Hartman explained that while we perceive our own voice as we perceive most other sounds (via sound traveling through air), we also perceive it internally—because our vocal chords vibrate. “The effect of this is to emphasize lower frequencies, and that makes the voice sound deeper and richer to yourself,” he said. Hartman added that other factors influence the way vibrations of the voice could travel to the brain, including interaction with cerebrospinal fluid, the clear liquid that sits within the brain and spine, and variations in sound pressure in the ear canal. This variety of routes would naturally “introduce variation in how people perceive their own voices.” Like it or not, your voice sounds different to others (Tweet it!). Those who speak in any kind of public forum can especially benefit from listening to how it sounds “in real life.” Verbal tone, pitch and volume are among the many nonverbal factors that impact how our messages are perceived! Have you ever been surprised by the sound of your own recorded voice? What surprised you, and did you do anything to try to alter the way you speak as a result? To join the conversation, click "comments" below on our Community of Practice Forum. If you would like to read more about creating a habit around masterful communication, check out our book: Be Quiet, Be Heard: The Paradox of Persuasion
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 Nice guys have a competitive edge (Tweet it!). In creating the 2016 Best Small and Medium Workplaces lists for partner Fortune, the consulting firm Great Place to Work learned that the strongest driver of above-average revenue growth among smaller businesses is a caring community at work (http://bit.ly/2jhYFnl).
Great Place to Work conducted its research by looking at several hundred small and medium-sized companies, and examined more than 52,000 employee surveys. “Caring,” as identified by employees in surveys, ranked as more pivotal for growth than a clear business strategy, innovation activities, and even competent leadership. The study sought to discover the strongest drivers of high performance by looking at the relative impact of the 58 questions from Great Place to Work’s Trust Index Employee Survey. At the very top were “People care about each other” and “Management hires people who fit in well here.” These statements tied as the overall top drivers of above-average revenue growth. The study’s authors say, “While the caring-as-competitive-edge finding is striking, it is not entirely surprising, given a growing collection of data about the importance of psychological security, community, and a sense of belonging.” Do you work in what you consider a caring community? Do you believe that makes you more productive, and how so? To join the conversation, click "comments" below on our Community of Practice Forum. If you would like to read more about creating a habit around masterful communication, check out our book: Be Quiet, Be Heard: The Paradox of Persuasion  In the heat of conflict, eight out of ten people often misunderstand the context of the argument, says psychologist Nicholas Epley in the 2016 book, Mindwise: Why We Misunderstand What Others Think, Feel, Believe and Want.
Writing on LinkedIn, Dr. Jennifer Beaman, founder of the Association for Leadership Practitioners, says that since the neurotransmitters in our brains go a little haywire during conflict, we need to protect ourselves from impulsivity (Tweet it!). She suggests we manage conflict as though practicing mushin—“a tactic in samurai warfare that in essence, means ‘still center’…the ability to stay calm, read your opponent, and attempt to redirect his aggression in a more productive way.” Among the strategies she recommends:
“Remember to let the other party save face,” says Dr. Brennan. “Workplace relationships are worth preserving (most of the time).” Have you ever misunderstood the nature of a conflict while you were in the thick of it? Or have you ever felt misunderstood during conflict? What might you do to center yourself in the future? To join the conversation, click "comments" on our Community of Practice Forum. If you would like to read more about creating a habit around masterful communication, check out our book: Be Quiet, Be Heard: The Paradox of Persuasion.  The reason we react so negatively to hypocrites may not be exactly what you think. New research, forthcoming in the journal Psychological Science, suggests that the reason people dislike hypocrites is that their outspoken moralizing falsely signals their own virtue (Tweet it!). In other words, their misleading talk implies that they behave in certain admirable ways when they actually do not.
The authors offer the example of a co-worker who presents himself as an environmental activist. “He hounds people to turn off their office lights when they step out for lunch and gets on their case if they throw recyclables in the trash. He protests when people print documents single-sided... Now imagine you discover that your co-worker, when at home, regularly fails to do any of these things. You promptly revoke the moral credit you gave him for his activism…his outspoken moralizing falsely conveys his own virtue, earning him undue reputational benefits —and at the expense of the individuals whom he publicly shames. He would enhance his credibility by simply admitting that he sometimes falls short of these ideals himself.” Have you known people you consider to be hypocritical? What is it about their stances that you find most disturbing? To join the conversation, click "comments" below on our Community of Practice Forum. If you would like to read more about creating a habit around masterful communication, check out our book: Be Quiet, Be Heard: The Paradox of Persuasion. |
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