A Historical Evening, November 4, 2008

Barack Obama has been elected the first African-American President of these United States! A true first.....unchartered territory. My blog tonight comes from my work with African-American dialect. I find it very interesting that most of my African-American clients tell me that once they begin to use what they learn in our sessions concerning speaking Standard American English, their families and friends at home accuse them of speaking "white". Observation tells us that most all respected African-American leaders speak Standard American English in public. Why? Because Standard American English (SAE) is the standard for corporate America. It is not a race issue. Whatever you speak, if it doesn't meet the standard of corporate America, you will encounter barriers on your way up the corporate ladder. Consider the spoken English of Barack Obama, Oprah Winfrey and Alabama's own Artur Davis. You do not hear non-standard words or grammatical errors. They get it. They understand that credibility is tied to the way we speak. What can you do to insure that you are using SAE?

• Use complete word production...avoid lazy pronunciation
• Every time you speak, remember to use your tongue, lips and teeth to make the sounds
• Take a grammar class....at the very least purchase a book on grammar at your local bookstore
• Stop dropping off word endings e.g. workin' for working, whassup? instead of "what's up?"
• BE is not a verb to use in speaking e.g. "He be late"....use the forms of BE e. g. am, is, are, was, were,has,have, etc.
• "ask" is pronounced "assssk" not "aks"..think of a donkey!
• "says" is pronounced "sez" and not "sayz"
• Use Webster's Dictionary online to make sure that you are pronouncing words correctly
• Make sure you are using a "th" and not a "d" for words that include the "th" sound e.g. "dis" for "this" and "dat" for "that" "birfday" for "birthday"
• Be careful to say "street" and not "skreet"

These are just a few tips for producing SAE. It will make a difference in how you are perceived in the work environment and it may impact your earning potential!

The View From My Office

Considering that my office window looks out into a parking lot and then a brick retaining wall, the view is almost a dead end. I feel that many times the professional employee is at a dead end with communication skills. I truly believe that we have become so dependent on technology that we have forgotten how to communicate face-to-face with customers and fellow employees. I am working with many clients who need to pay attention to their non-verbal communication. A pleasant facial expression goes a long way towards establishing rapport with others. Who wants to do business or work with someone who is sour, sullen and snappy? Additionally, I am finding that many IT or MIS professionals need help making small talk. Just interacting with little pleasantries and general conversation appears to be a difficult task for some. I see it with my own children. The tradition of sitting around and shooting the breeze over a meal is almost a lost art. My kids will text through an entire meal unless I make it off-limits! This is a time when we connect to others. At work, when we make time for small talk and casual conversation, we learn little details about our conversational partners that may help us meet their needs as customers or co-workers. I think that the more we focus on engaging others in conversation whether it is over lunch, a quick cup of coffee or the golf course the more likely we are to build bridges with our colleagues and customers as opposed to creating dead-end barriers!

Vocal Impact: Is Your Voice Working For or Against You?

The best way to determine your vocal impact is to tape record yourself. Just talk naturally about a subject that interests you, for example, your favorite vacation spot, the best teacher you ever had, etc.

As you listen to yourself, assess the following:

1. Is your voice high pitched?
2. Is your voice too loud or too soft?
3. Do you talk too fast or too slowly?
4. Do you sound nasal - as if you're talking through your nose?
5. If you had to describe your voice to someone else, would you use any of the following words:
shrill, raspy, squeaky, rough, whiny or monotonous?
6. Do you pronounce words completely? Do you drop off word endings?
7. Do you "um" and "you know" when you speak?
8. Do you frequently clear your throat or make other noises that interrupt your speech?
9. Do you sound confident or uneasy?
10. Do you sound interested or bored?
11. Do you sound like someone with authority?
12. Would you enjoy listening to the voice you hear on your tape?

Seven Quick Tips:

1. Drink lots of water throughout your work day.
2. Avoid excessive yelling or strained talking
3. Demonstrate good posture
4. Use vocal variety - stress different words in a sentence
5. Use pauses...pauses are powerful.
6. Learn to breath diaphragmatically.
7. Use complete word production.