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.
There is a lot of talk about the ways in which powerful verbal communication can contribute to career success. You’ve probably heard tips like, “Minimize your ‘ums’ and ‘you knows.’” And as women, we’re often told we should stop using “apologetic” language. For example, it’s better to tell your coworker, “I’d like to meet with you later this week,” than it is to say, “I just wanted to see if maybe you had a little time to talk this week.”
