Many of us labor mightily to be perfect — or at least to appear perfect to the outside world. I was recently interviewed on this very topic, and I thought it would be helpful to share my views on the quest for perfection. I would love your thoughts and feedback.
Is there such a thing as perfection?
I think the notion that “perfection” exists is a total myth.
For the next 24 hours I am going to ask you to become very aware of your voice.
What is the tone of your voice when you answer the phone?
How do you sound when you are frustrated or upset?
What does your voice sound like when you are in a meeting and offer your opinion?
When you are giving a presentation, do you sound confident and comfortable or does your voice sound shaky and uncertain?
Take a moment and think back to the last time you did or said something out of anger or frustration. Something that, on reflection, you wish you hadn’t done.
It’s in those moments that each and every one of us needs to become acutely aware of our internal monitoring system. Think of it as your own personal feedback system, an internal gauge that signals it’s time to pause, breathe and think about what you are about to say or do.
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There is no question that your ability to communicate confidently and authoritatively is critical to your career success. Here are some tips to make your presentations more effective.
Remember “TFD”
It’s important to keep in mind what you want your audience to be thinking,
One of my most memorable professors at the University of Cape Town’s drama school was the formidable Mavis Taylor. Like a character out of a Dickens novel, Professor Taylor seemed ancient to me at the time, with limp, long, blonde hair and an equally long face which showed little or no sign of emotion, ever.
Mavis spoke sparingly, and with a direct gaze that seemed to look right through you.
We hear so much about the importance of having a personal brand, but what does that really mean? Put simply, your brand is your reputation, which is the culmination of almost everything you have ever done and said. As Amazon’s Jeff Bezos says, “Your brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room.”
The reality is, you already have a reputation and you are being “branded” whether you are consciously involved in the process or not.
