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August 2007
"Becoming a leader is synonymous with becoming yourself. It is precisely that
simple, and it is also that difficult." -- Warren Bennis
We hear them every day of our lives. People totally comfortable being who they are
in the world, easily accessing and expressing their innermost selves—their
attitudes, beliefs and expectations. And we listen. We hear them as radio talk
show hosts expressing their opinionated (sometimes obnoxious) views. We hear them
as that know-it-all neighbor down the street who has never been wrong a day in his
life. We hear them as our therapists, teachers and spiritual leaders who move and
inspire us to move worlds.
We hear them and we listen. Even if we don’t agree or like what they have to say,
we’re still attracted to someone being themselves, speaking their truth.
As a voice talent reading copy, I know that to attract you and lead you, I must be
willing to let go and allow you to see all of me—my innermost self. I must be
willing to be embarrassed, silly, passionate, powerful, imperfect, messy and
vulnerable with you. My goal is to connect with your soul--the deepest part of
you—so you will let me in, feel related to, and be touched and inspired to connect
with my message and take action. This is leadership and simply, being myself. And
therein lies my life’s greatest work.
To connect with my innermost self before a session, a great voice coach once guided
me through a three-step exercise I still use today. For each step the reading is
done out loud. First she had me read a piece of copy, cold. Next, she had me
immediately pick up and read a deeply personal rant I had written. This rant could
be about any subject, but it had to be mine and written by me. When I finished
reading my rant, she had me go back and read the original copy once again. The
difference the second time I read the copy was amazing. During my first read I had
not yet connected with myself. But after reading my rant--expressing my opinion,
getting in touch with myself--I read the copy with passion, purpose. I could feel
the difference.
My best friend tells me I am most beautiful, most attractive to her when I am in my
most vulnerable state—either tears streaming down my cheeks having just
acknowledged a gut-wrenching truth about myself, or roaring with laughter from a
great joke or silly, easy banter between friends—simply, being me. I also notice
how I feel when I’m in this state: I feel free, open, available, connected, and
solid. It is this state I work to achieve behind the mic to best connect with
the world. To touch you, I have to touch me, otherwise we won’t connect.
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