Calling All Women - Break Through That Glass Ceiling!

They say that people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. Probably wise advice.
However, I think women in business should definitely throw stones, to break that ever-present glass ceiling that hangs just above our heads.

I will temper that slightly as I'm not advocating violence or a bra-burning feminist.  The 'stones' I am referring to are words - subtle stones that cause ripples in the water of business; that allow us to move about life and work with grace, compassion, style and in a way that displays inner strength and confidence, that comes from simply knowing that you can.

There's no greater feeling that that. Knowing something about yourself that others don't, having a secret arsenal of tools you can use, no matter what gets thrown your way. Some people will go out of their way to keep you at your level, in your place. Generally those people don't know you very well because they haven't taken the time to get to know the person behind the hair, lipstick and heels. This apathy is born out of fear and feeling threatened and I feel really sorry for people like that as they miss out on meeting and knowing some amazing women. I do love "wowing" those people though, showing them I am capable and so much more than brown hair, brown eyes and relatively good legs.

So, what's my secret tool? Well, it's my voice and ability to communicate and connect.

I found out at an early age that my voice was a great asset. I may not have been the slimmest or prettiest at school but I could 'perform' when needed, I had a vocabulary wide enough to get me out of trouble with teachers and I had a confidence that was just the right side of cocky. I thank my Mum for this gift. She enrolled me in Speech & Drama lessons at the tender age of 4yrs old. At that age it was fun, a new way of being in the spotlight which all 4yrs olds love. As I got older, I started to love the challenge of learning something new and the recognition I received  when I did something well. I had a skill, I was actually quite good at something which was important to me considering I was fairly bad academically.  Having said that, not everyone knew I did Speech & Drama as there was a still a part of being able to understand Shakespeare that wasn't cool!

So, I learnt from an early age that having a powerful voice and the confidence to use it was beneficial. I got the big parts in school plays, the cool boys knew who I was and it gave me a boost that people envied me, that the cool girls in school wanted what I had but could never get. As I matured and started work, I learnt the benefit of being able to share this skill with other people. It wasn't just a way to get the boys, it was a real business skill that a lot of people had trouble with. I now love the opportunity of working with people and helping them overcome the challenges and unleash the voice within. It's what I've built my business on.

So, back to the original point - how to break that glass ceiling? Well, use your words and voice in a way that wows and impresses. You could use what God gave you and sleep your way there - but quite frankly, it's so much easier and far less messy to just talk your way to the top!

You need performance and a track record to back up what you're saying and you need to walk the talk. If you have those things in place and then learn to love your voice and how to use it with the greatest impact you will crack that glass ceiling and get the seat at the Board Room table you know you deserve.

How To Control The Audience and Make the Sale

This is the moment most presenters dread because you don’t know what people are going to ask, whether you’ll know the answer, if you’ll look silly or incompetent and lose the sale.

Here are some simple tips to follow that can get you through the tough situations:

Handling Questions

·      Take control of the process and tell the Customers when they can ask questions – at the end of the presentation or at particular points during the presentation. Decide what will work best for you.

·      Prepare in advance – think of the questions that will probably come up and prepare your answers in advance. Having analysed the Customer, you should have some idea now what the typical objections will be so have answers ready to tackle these

·      Listen to the full question – do not interrupt half way through and assume you know what they’re going to ask

·      ‘Listen’ to the body language – is it defensive, what cues can you pick up from how they are asking the question or the gestures they are making?

·      Think about your own body language – whilst you may feel defensive when someone asks a question, keep your gestures open – arms at your side, direct eye contact, smile, lean forward

Answering Questions 

·      Repeat the question back to ensure you have understood

·      If you don’t know the answer….. TELL THEM. Do not try and muddle your way through the answer or make something up, your body language will give you away and someone else may know the actual answer and you will lose all credibility.

·      If you don’t know the answer, open it up to the group and see if anyone else knows. This is known as Boomerang – where you boomerang the question back to the group. If you’re not good at ‘thinking on your feet’ this can also give you a chance to think about the answer. Answer it by saying, “Great question! What do the rest of the group think? Would anyone like to share their thoughts?”

·      If you don’t know and no one else knows either, have a ‘Parking Lot’ for the questions (could be a flipchart on the wall or just your notepad) and commit to finding out the answer for them.

·      When replying to a question, involve the whole audience – begin eye contact with the questioner, then the other audience members and back to the questioner at the end of the answer.

Dealing with Objections During a Sales Demonstration

·      Keep calm – you can handle this!

·      If things do start to become difficult to handle then politely suggest that the conversation be taken offline. Depending on the objection, some of your answers could be:

o   “You have made a very valid point and I want to discuss this further. Can I suggest we take this offline and have a more focused conversation after the presentation?”

o   “Thank you, that is a great point/question and I’d like to involve my colleague / Manager of that department / my CEO in answering your concern. Let me take that away and I’ll arrange a separate meeting later this week where we can discuss further. What’s your availability?”

·      If you feel someone is deliberately trying to challenge you, then you could use humour. BE VERY CAREFUL though as it can come across as sarcasm and you may appear defensive

·      Do not deflect the criticism or blame another colleague – it will seem your Company is not working as a team or communicating well. Even if an objection is not based on anything you have done, accept the feedback on behalf of your Company in an appropriate manner.

·      Do not agree with or join in any maligning of the Company - your job is to represent the business and you must safeguard its name and reputation – be professional at all times.

·      Be conscious of your body language and facial expressions – keep your gestures open and your face neutral. Avoid eye-rolling, frowns and smirking, this will only antagonise the objectioner!

·      Be attentive whilst the objection is being made - actively listen with head nods and direct eye contact. If the other audience members become restless, manage them and ask them to be quiet (respectfully, of course!). Do be conscious of the group through and if the objection is taking a lot of time or the person is being argumentative then take control and suggest taking it off-line (see previous examples).

Some other things to consider if you’re put on the spot:

• Nonverbal cues can help restore order and make you appear calm…. Even if you’re not!

o   Strong eye contact

o   Upright posture

o   Unwavering focus

• ·      The more animated your ‘opponent’ becomes, the calmer you should be
• ·      Keep vocal inflection to a minimum, talk neutrally
• ·      Keep focused on the key messages you want to deliver – if you get a difficult question, repeat your main point and do not waffle, keep to the areas you are comfortable talking about.

    So the key is not to panic, keep calm and if you don't know the answer be honest and commit to finding it out and letting people know.

The Beauty of 360 Communication

It's been a while but here's my latest blog on making sure you have a communication strategy that works for all those different people you come across everyday.

Being conscious of how you communicate and having a well-thought out strategy is key to being an effective and influential communicator.

We come into contact with so many different people during the course of a normal week, we can’t just have one mode or style of communicating. Your boss, your direct report(s), your partner, your clients, your colleagues – they all need and expect different things from you. Being able to communicate in the appropriate way and match those needs will make your life easier!

I call this 360° Communication and here are a few tools and techniques you can employ to deal with those different groups of people:

1)    Your Boss

He/she is expecting you to do your job, that’s why they hired you so when they interact with you, they want to hear about what you’ve been doing especially the things you have completed that will make their life easier.

·       Keep positive - if you have a challenge then have a solution as well

·       No surprises – as much as you may not want to tell them something, honesty is always the best policy. If it’s a genuine mistake then admit it, be upfront and give your Manager a chance to prepare for any fall-out there may be. Depending on what it is, your Manager may be as much on the line as you so have him as your ally as opposed to your enemy

·       Be inclusive - don’t complain about other people to your boss. Don’t be seen to be self-seeking or obsequious, it’s not attractive and only makes you sound desperate. Like the ‘comedian’ who can only make people laugh by poking fun at others; be credible and great at what you do without having to malign your colleagues

2)    Your Direct Report

Just as you will want to impress your boss, your direct reports will want to do the same thing with you, or at least your high performing direct reports will. They also need something in return - they need to hear information from you about the business, they need to know how their job fits in with that and contributes to the bigger picture. The also need to know you care about them and their development. Lots of things huh?! Here are a couple of easy ways you can meet those needs:

·       Set the Communication temperature – set up regular briefings with the team informing them of things happening in the business, within their department and even the industry. Let them know that open communication is a given and that you are committed to sharing things with them and giving them an opportunity to share their own ideas.

·       Set up regular Engagement Interviews – these need to only be once a quarter or maybe twice a year depending on how many people you have in your team. Spend at least 1hr speaking to individual direct reports about what they are passionate about, what they enjoy about their job, how you can make their lives easier, why they stay with the Company. This information is like gold dust and will give you great insights in to how your team can be more productive and how to keep them engaged.

3)    Your Client

This can be one of the more difficult relationships to manage as it really is about positive influence, without any positional power. You need to rely on your personal power – the traits you have that set you apart and make you someone your Client wants to do business with. Be a person with integrity, who can be relied upon to do good work. Build a track record based on success and delivery. Be an expert in your field and use your knowledge and network to add value to your Client. All good in theory right, so how do you put this into practice:

·       Be a skillful enquirer – ask lots of questions, gather information and really understand your Client, the needs they have and where you can help and add value. Have a Question Strategy – think about the questions you will ask at the next meeting, use open questions to encourage your Client to talk and share and make sure you plan enough time so it doesn’t feel rushed and like it’s the Spanish Inquisition

·       Know Their Style – we all have a preferred style of communication. Some of us like data, others value relationships; some like to make decisions and do so relatively quickly and others prefer to consider all angles and make a more informed decision, over a period of time. There is no better way but we have more in common with some styles than others and that can impact how well we communicate and ultimately influence. Knowing if your Client is more about data or relationships could be the key to getting the next deal signed!

So, ultimately, it’s all about knowing how to change your communication style to suit others and having an arsenal of tools and techniques you can readily deploy for any given situation. Good luck!

Sarah Schubert is a professional Voice coach and Leadership Development consultant. Passionate about good communication and with over 20yrs international experience in the Corporate and Performing Arts arena, she blends voice development with business and personal productivity in a unique way. Visit her website New Voice Communications for more information on the services offered.

Communicate Don't Infuriate

I'm going to take a slight deviation from my usual blogs and write about something that happened to myself and my husband at the weekend that taught me all over again, the importance of effective communication.

Bear with me, it takes a while to get to the point but I feel the story of our journey is worth it!

It actually started a couple of weeks ago when my husband needed to have his iPhone repaired. This is the iPhone I bought him for his birthday last May which cost a chunk of change and had been having intermittent issues since it left the shop.
I bought the phone at iStudio in Central on Orchard so logic told me to go back there and see if they could repair or replace it. Cannot lah, was the response. We had to go to Epicentre in Suntec. I was slightly confused by this but assumed that this person knew what they were talking about. The fact he looked all of 12yrs old should have sent alarm bells ringing but alas no. Anyhoo, off we trotted to Epicentre at Suntec hoping they could help. We were told by the poor excuse for a 'Sales' Assistant that they couldn't fix it either and we had to go to the Service Centre in Wheelock Place.  Of course we did!  How silly of me to think anyone at iStudio or Epicentre could help! Breathe, 123, breathe 123, breathe.....

Rather than waste the rest of the weekend going from shop to shop we decided to leave it and picked up the mantle again last weekend.  I was confident we had at last been given the right advice and that my husband's expensive phone would finally be fixed.  When we walked into the Epicentre in Wheelock we were obviously interrupting something important as they were not pleased to see us: no smile, no hello just a look of confusion. Unperturbed, we walked up to the nearest 'Sales' Assistant who looked the most capable (and I use that term lightly) and relayed the same story we had told the 12yrs old in iStudio and the fringe flicker in Epicentre Suntec. Apparently, we were wrong again. We needed to go to the Service Centre somewhere else in Singapore because they don't service iPhones there.  OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!!  Can you sense my frustration????  Well, at this point I did lose it, for a number of reasons:
1) I hadn't had my morning coffee
2) I had spent $1000 on a phone which wasn't working
3) I had wasted about 1dy of my life (so far) trying to have someone fix it
4) The lack of interest my husband and I were shown as we relayed our story was unrivalled; I don't think I have been made to feel so unimportant in my life before.... Now, I'm not looking for a brass band and bunting when I walk into a shop but a smile and a 'Hello, how can I help?' go a long way.
5) And this is the key - they 'Sales' Assistants in both iStudio and Epicentre did not make eye contact with me, they mumbled their answers so I had to ask them to repeat, they gave me the least amount of information possible - "No, you have go to... Service Centre... no iPhones here." They did not even smile, say "hello" or apologise for the fact the phone was cr*p (even if it's not their fault, not the point).

If I have a problem with something I want someone to listen to me, to take notice of what I'm saying and give me an opportunity to let some of that frustration out. I do not envy the job of a Customer Service Rep as you can get some really stupid members of the public. I'm slightly biased but I don't consider myself to be a stupid member of the public but I get annoyed when someone ignores me. Customer Service Reps can do themselves a favour and actually try and diffuse the feelings of frustration that the Customer is feeling by talking to them!  It's an amazing concept I know, one that really is quite ground breaking! Asking questions, LISTENING, empathising with the Customer are great ways to do this but unfortunately are very seldom used.

I could go on and suggest how they could have done more for my husband and I as the customer but I would be here for a while and this is not a Customer Service blog.  What this experience showed me is that communication is key in ANY interaction, especially where there is the potential for high emotions.  As a communicator, don't be afraid of the emotion you see - reflect it back to the individual without judging - if you see someone getting angry, say "You seem to be angry". This will no doubt unleash more anger but what you're doing by acknowledging and reflecting the emotion is diffusing it, allowing the speaker to work it out.  The more you do this, the faster you will get to a point where the speaker is ready to listen to you and your suggestion and you can move on.

Remember, the less you communicate, the more you infuriate!

Are You Listening To Me!?!

Are You Listening To Me!?!

How many times have you heard that in the last few days, weeks or months?  Some will have heard it more than others, I know my husband has heard it a few times!

So, why do people feel the need to ask the question? Simple really, they don’t feel like they have been heard by the person they are talking to. But surely, hearing is something we just do, like talking. In fact, hearing is something we can’t always turn off and I know sometimes I’d like to turn off my ears, especially when my dogs are barking!  We can close our eyes, we can shut our mouths but we can’t close our ears…. However, just because we are hearing things pretty much 100% of the time, this doesn’t mean we are listening.  To actively listen to someone, this takes effort and if we’re honest with ourselves, we rarely do it.

Let’s remember a time when we really felt we were listened to.  What did that person do to make us feel that?  For me, they were doing the following:

1)    Direct eye contact – focusing on me as the speaker without making me feel uncomfortable. Eye contact is good although it’s worth remembering that there’s a fine line between comfortable eye contact and the feeling that someone’s eyes are boring into your soul…

2)    Body language – they were mirroring my actions subtly. Again, it wasn’t obvious so it looked comical but every so often I realized they were sitting the same way I was and it made me feel they were being attentive and really encouraged me to open up

3)    Head nods, Mmmms and smiling – having this visual and verbal feedback showed me they were hearing what I was saying and understanding the message.  They didn’t have to actually say anything but I knew they ‘got it’. Plus the smiles just made me feel more comfortable and that I could carry on for as long as I wanted…..

4)    Paraphrasing – I tend to speak a lot (I know, hard to believe!) and I feel I have important points to make which I want people to understand and I remember one time, when I was speaking to someone every so often they would repeat back to me what I said, in a really succinct, clear way. It was great as I felt we really understand each other and it was one of the best conversations I have had.

Let me expand on that final bullet – it’s great to be heard and being heard is all about being understood. And this paraphrasing is a great way to ensure that you, as the listener, have heard and understood what the speaker is

saying.

When you do this, you should get a firm “Yes!” but you may hear  “Actually, no, it’s more like…” and that’s OK too. Better to have that cleared up at the time rather than thinking you’ve understood what’s been said and going on your merry way. I wonder how many arguments, conflicts, world wars could have been averted if the listener hadn’t assumed he/she had heard and understood and actually paraphrased. Let’s face it, to Assume makes an Ass of U and Me.

Ultimately it’s about taking the time and letting someone talk.  I know most Managers don’t want to get into conversations with some of their more ‘talkative’, dare I say ‘emotional’, direct reports as they know they could be there for a while. We just don’t have the time these days and I used to be like that…. Until I realized the value you get when you just listen. Not only do you get the chance to rest your voice, which as you know from my previous blogs is important to me but you also re-engage with that employee which is very powerfully positive. The opposite of that can also be very powerful but in a destructive way. I know that realising someone isn’t listening to you and doesn’t want to listen to you when you have something important to say, can be the most de-motivating, hurtful and negative experience.  I have experienced it a number of times and I used those occasions to teach me what I shouldn’t do to others.

I know when my previous bosses have truly heard what I wanted to say, I was willing to do anything for them (anything legal anyway!) and my productivity went through the roof.  You can only imagine the impact it has had when my husband has truly listened to me as wel! So just think what would happen if you took 30mins out of your day, each day, to listen to someone…..

British Telecom’s adverts in the UK used to end with “It’s Good to Talk”, well on this occasion I disagree, I think it’s good to just listen.

Are You Standing Correctly? I Will Begin...

As we explored in my last blog, it’s essential to care for your voice - to warm it up before long periods of speech and strengthen it safely.  It’s also important to ensure your body is warmed up and aligned so that it can support your voice through the day.

It’s basically all about our posture. 

We were told growing up not to slouch, to lift our heads – shoulders back, chest out!  Whilst we don’t want to walk around like strutting peacocks all the time, the mantra of shoulders back, chest out, head up is a great one to follow at key times through the day, to ensure you are walking tall, keeping the chest open and the breath flowing. Warming up the body also ensures there’s no unnecessary tension in the shoulders, chest area or neck that could impact the quality of voice created.

Here are a few things I try to do at certain points during the day to re-align things and stretch-out the unnecessary tension:

1)    Neck Rolls – similar to the usual neck stretches you would do before a yoga session, these exercises help to loosen the neck and head and relieve any tension. They must be done slowly and gently to avoid any over-straining of the neck. Align your breathing to the stretches as well so the muscles are supported as they go through the warm-up.

a.    Start by looking straight ahead and slowly move your head to the right, keeping the body grounded and facing forward

b.    Hold for 30secs and bring back to the middle. Repeat 3 times

c.     Do the same on the left side

d.    Next move your head to the right and look down so you feel the stretch along the back and side of the neck.  Again hold for 30secs, repeat 3 times and do the same on the left side

e.    Next move your head to the right and this time slowly raise your head to the ceiling.  Hold for 30 secs, repeat 3 times and do the same on the left

2)    Walking Tall – this is a great exercise to get your posture back after a period of sitting down or if you’re feeling a bit ‘slouchy’.  If you’re in the office or somewhere public you’ll probably want to find a quiet corner to do this as it may look a little strange….

a.    Stand with your heels, buttocks, shoulders and head against a wall

b.    Take a step away from the wall, leaving just your head leaning against it

c.     Hold that position for about 10secs (or as long as comfortable), then place a heel back against the wall, push off and start walking

d.    You will feel taller, more confident and in control!

3)    Centred – this is a simple exercise which you can do at your desk, on the bus, in a meeting… basically anywhere.  Ensure your spine is supported, look straight ahead and feel your head rest gently on the top of the spine.  Be conscious of any tension in your shoulders or top of the neck; if you feel you’re actively supporting your head then it’s not in the rest position.  Once you feel it’s supported and there’s no tension, take 3 deep breaths and feel the head, spine and rest of the body re-align

4)    Big Stretch – this is probably another one you want to do in a quiet corner or at least somewhere with a bit of space.  It’s a good way to wake up the body, get the air flowing again and relieve any stiffness, especially if you’ve been sitting for too long:

a.    Stand with legs shoulder-width apart and hands by your side

b.    Raise your arms out to the side and over your head in a large arc and at the same time breathe out making an ‘oooooooo’ sound

c.     Hold your arms above your head for a couple of seconds and lower back to your side

d.    Repeat 4 times making different sounds on the out-breath each time

So, if you do these warm-up and wake-up exercises through the day, in addition to the exercises to strengthen the voice, you will be well on your way to developing a voice others will be jealous of!

Success speaks for itself!

Sarah Schubert is a professional Voice coach and Leadership Development consultant. Passionate about good communication and with over 20yrs international experience in the Corporate and Performing Arts arena, she blends voice development with business and personal productivity in a unique way. Visit her website New Voice Communications for more information on the services offered.

Calling all Teachers, Receptionists, Sales People....

We use our voice everyday but we do use it in the right way?  Sounds like a strange question doesn’t it because speaking is so natural for the majority of us but as with everything, there is a right and wrong way to speaking and looking after your voice. 

We want to sound our best everyday; first impressions are not only created through the clothes you wear, how you hold yourself and personal grooming but also how you sound.  You may wear the power suit with the big shoulders but if you have a quiet, raspy voice you won’t make the same impression on your audience. As a business owner, I am on the phone or in meetings everyday with potential clients and I need to ensure I sound my best, especially as I am selling services to improve an individual’s voice and communication!  This is the same for Teachers, Receptionists, Sales professionals, Singers  – your voice is your tool and you need to look after it.

Here are a few things I do everyday and before important meetings that I’d suggest everyone does if you want to maintain a healthy, strong voice:

1)    Breathing Exercises – breathing is more natural to us than speaking and we need to breathe correctly to support our voice through the day. Taking in 3 diaphragmatic breaths wakes up the body, opens the lungs and ribcage and allows you to sustain a deeper, more resonant voice.  I do this in the morning and at regular intervals through the day, especially before important meetings.

2)    Developing Breath – we can all breathe (I hope!), and some of us can hold our breath for longer than others but how come? Generally this is done to lung capacity and using the diaphragm to control how the breath is exhaled.  A simple exercise, done regularly, designed to make you say more in one breath is an excellent way of expanding your lung capacity and strengthening your diaphragm control.

3)    Creating Resonance – do you sing in the shower? To develop your pitch range and resonance this is the perfect place to ‘stretch’ your vocal cords.  Making an ‘mmmmmmmmm’ sound and going up and down scales not only makes you more aware of the resonance in your voice already but helps develop and expand your pitch range and can bring more ‘music’ to your voice.  The steam of the shower also helps to protect your vocal cords from any over-straining.

4)    Hydration – drinking lots of water through the day and avoiding caffeine is a good tip for keeping healthy as well as for maintaining a strong voice.  While the nerves may need a boost of caffeine, I try to have a hot tea with honey before an important meeting as this helps to

keep the vocal cords lubricated; caffeine has been known to dehydrate so it’s best to avoid this if possible.

These are just a few of the things I do to wake the voice up and prepare for the day and can be easily included in any morning routine, no matter how busy.  Look out for my next article that will cover how you can warm-up and stretch the body to support your new voice!

Sarah Schubert is a professional Voice coach and Leadership Development consultant. Passionate about good communication and with over 20yrs international experience in the Corporate and Performing Arts arena, she blends voice development with business and personal productivity in a unique way. Visit her website New Voice Communications for more information on the services offered.

To Grammar or Not to Grammar?

I was posed an interesting question the other day by one of my clients: “What is grammar and do you think you know enough to teach it and should you teach it?”

Being particular about correct written and spoken communication and taking pride in knowing my conditionals from conjunctions, my immediate reaction is to say “Yes, of course I know enough and yes, we should focus on grammar!!!” but as I thought about it, I realised a few things.

Let’s think about what grammar actually is: Grammar brings structure to a language; it is the set of rules present in every language that dictate how words should be used, the forms they should take and the order they should be placed in.

These rules or ‘system’ include syntax (how words combine into phrases), morphology (the formation of words), phonology (study of sounds in isolation), and semantics (the science of meaning in language forms).   Hence it forms the base of all language; with each language having it’s own system and grammatical structure.  In some languages it can be very complex and English is one example and it is essential to understand the rules to be able to communicate effectively.

Grammar determines how sentences are structured, for example, that auxiliary verbs (e.g. will) come before main verbs (e.g. arrive) in affirmative sentences. 

Grammar also tells us which word form should be used and when.  This knowledge of how words change and the different forms they have is called ‘morphology’ and literally means ‘the study of change.’  Words change their form to express different meanings whether it’s to denote how many of something there are, whether something happened in the past or present, and who something happened to.  Understanding morphology is essential to having a full grasp of a language – for example knowing the different forms of ‘drink’ (drank, drunk); knowing the comparative and superlative forms of ‘quick’ (quicker and quickest), and knowing that this can also be in an irregular form e.g. for ‘good’ it is ‘better’, and ‘best’.

There are many examples of grammatical choices we make when using English and native speakers will tend to just know these rules with no true understanding of why a sentence is structured in a certain way.

Grammar brings depth and variety of meaning to what otherwise would just be a jumble of words.

So, Grammar definitely has a place.  Now to the question of whether English language teachers should have a firm foundation of grammar and should we teach it?

The short answer to this question is “yes”.   A language teacher needs to understand the grammatical structure of the language they are teaching.  Grammar forms the base of a language, it determines sentence structure, and

the correct forms of words to use.  Without at least some knowledge of this it will be very hard for the teacher to explain the complexities of any language.

When teaching something new to someone it is important to have a ‘system’ for reference to help explain the irregularities and make sense of the sometime irrational word forms and sentence structure.  The “whys”? then at least have some explanation for the student.  They may not make immediate sense but it takes the argument away of whether it is right or wrong.  If the teacher does not have this depth of knowledge in a language the student will soon become frustrated if their questions are not answered and they may start to question how much the teacher actually knows!  Naturally, as a student becomes more proficient with a language so their thirst for knowledge increases and the teacher must be one step ahead, or at least keep up.

Grammar offers that system or set of rules that can help the teacher “teach” the language in a comprehensive way and for the learner to grasp the basics.  This understanding of the fundamentals of how a language is structured provides a strong foundation to build on.  If the basics are not there from the start confusion, embarrassment, re-work will all likely follow for the learner.  Native speakers of any language are taught the grammatical structures or syntax of their language as children and to enable typical ESL students to have that same grasp of the language the teachers need to be equipped with a strong understanding of the grammatical system.

Whatever any teacher teaches to their students, it has to be appropriate and in line with the student’s learning objectives.  This is extremely relevant for ESL students who are typically learning English for a specific purpose, whether it’s to study in Australia, converse socially with English speaking friends, or go on to teach English themselves.  The style of teaching will differ and even the type of pronunciation taught will change.  It is not about the preferences of the teacher that determines this but the needs of the student.  So it may well happen that a language teacher does not focus on the grammatical structure of sentences and phrases but instead focuses on the types of colloquial phrases that would be appropriate and the “schwas” that are created when a vowel is shortened and are a natural part of speaking English with proficiency.  In essence the teacher focuses on breaking the language down and teaching the ’lazy’ or informal uses of words and phrases.  This would be relevant for the ESL students wanting to learn English to converse socially with their English-speaking friends, however I would argue that it wouldn’t be appropriate for the ESL student learning English to then go on and teach English himself.

Grammar is a complex subject to learn and with so many native speakers not having a true grammatical understanding of their own language it begs the question why it is important for ESL students to learn about it and for language teachers to know about it.   However it is a natural and very necessary part of any language and a student will limit his proficiency with the language he is learning, if he is not taught the basics.

So, having deliberated the question, my answer is I feel it is important for the language teacher to have a firm foundation of grammar in their target language to offer a comprehensive learning experience.  Whether they actually utilise it and teach the grammatical structure will depend on the needs of the student.

Shhhhhh.... Don't be afraid of the Silence!

I was listening to Obama's State of the Union Address last week and was yet again impressed with his style of delivery.   I guess it would be more surprising if I wasn't impressed considering he is the President of the United States but I can't remember being as captivated by any of Bush's speeches as I am by Obama's.


What is it that he does? Why am I so enthralled by what he's saying when a lot of what he is saying doesn't have much to do with me or my day to day life?  Surely, you only listen to a message when it's relevant to you or will have some impact on your life?  Well, no! I must admit though that if you ask me what he said then I'd struggle to remember all the content; I do remember certain points he made and this is purely down to how he delivered it.


The magic ingredient to Obama's speeches are the pauses...... Just taking the time to let the message sink in, look around at the audience and make that connection with them again, allow a round of applause if a salient point has been made.  
It made me realise that we don't pause enough in life to just look around, let alone when we speak.  Generally our brains are working too far ahead of our voices which can result in some embarrassing outbursts - believe me, I know!  A trusted and dear colleague once told me (after one such incident) that when words are omitted or Freudian slips are made, it's the sign of someone who's just too intelligent - the brain is working at 100 miles per hour which is a good thing!  I took the 'compliment' but at the same time I knew I just needed to pause...... and enjoy the quiet.


Having the right pace is important as well - you cannot rattle off a quick message then pause, look intently at everyone in the room and then start again at a million miles an hour.  I have listened to people who deliver their presentations in such a way and I leave the room feeling drained; I've had to spend so much time keeping up with the pace and making sure I was at least looking engaged when the stare goes round the room, that I had totally missed the message and had no clue what was said.  Imagine if that was a sales pitch and I was the decision-maker... it would be a "no"!


A relaxed, formal, personalised style is key.  It sounds great on paper and I am the first to admit that it's not easy in practice but it's possible!  Here are some suggestions to help you enjoy the quiet:

1. Structure your message/presentation around key points: have punchy statements that lend themselves to natural pauses; use the pauses wisely though as you don't want it to be too staccato or jagged. Listening to Obama, he pauses after every two or three sentences which works for him but you need to see what's best for you and the message you are giving.  Remember, it should aid understanding not make it more complicated for the audience.
2. Remove the fluff: if you're using Powerpoint slides, limit the points between 3 and 5 on any one slide; keep the font at a minimum size 24 and remove unnecessary borders or images that do not strengthen the message... it is simply a distraction.  However, sometimes 1 image is all you need on a slide to make a point, and sometimes you don't even need to speak!  Look for those opportunities as they really work!
3. Pitching the voice: when you do use pauses bring the voice up at the end, it keeps the audience's attention through the pause and tells them that something important is coming... keep them hanging...... but not too long! 
4. Make eye contact with the audience: whether it's a group of 5 or a room of 100, don't be afraid of looking at people and making that connection, it engages them and makes them feel the message is for them.  It also tells you how your presentation is going - if most are asleep then maybe you need to pick up the pace or change tack; if they're looking at their blackberry phones or iphones, then throw a question out there - you may not get an answer back but people will start to listen again... Take the time to look.

Last piece of advice is to watch Obama's speech, if you haven't already -  you'll see what I mean!

State of the Union Address, 25 Jan 2011

Speak Up!

One of the things I noticed when I was hiring for certain roles was people's reluctance to speak up.  During interviews people would mumble, look down at the floor, slink down in the chair so their chin was virtually on the table and speak quietly.  This made it very hard to understand what the applicants were saying as they mumbled so much and really didn't make me want to hire them, no matter what great education, experience or jobs they had previously.

Mumbling isn't just frustrating for the listener but it gives the impression that the speaker does not care, lacks confidence and has little to say.  Typically, especially in an interview setting, this is not the impression you want to leave!

Here are 5 tips to avoid mumbling:
1) Slow Down - pause, take a breath, allow the silence..... slowing down thoughts and speech is the first step to being a clearer communicator.  Speaking more slowly allows you to enunciate words fully and not be tempted to drop the endings (gettin', runnin') known as elusion; or combine words with the 'intervocalic r' ('her_reyes', as opposed to 'her eyes'). We also let our thoughts get ahead of our mouths and before we know it, we've said something we shouldn't have!
2) Practice Enunciation - if you know there are words you struggle enunciating then practice saying them correctly, especially before an important meeting or interview.  Over-exaggerate the enunciation, practice in front of a mirror so you can see which articulators you are using and get used to the way they work together to pronounce the words.  NB: Check the spelling of the difficult words in a dictionary first to make sure you have the correct spelling.
3) Speak assertively - you don't need to shout your message out there but speaking assertively and projecting the voice forward will get people's attention.  Let's face it, generally it is the people who speak the loudest who get the job/praise/exposure.  It needs to be carefully handled though as you don't want to be known as the 'loudmouth' or people to think you have a hearing issue!
4) Sit up straight - sit with your back against the chair, shoulders back, head high and feet on the floor.  Keep the throat and air passages open and avoid hunching over as this restricts your air flow and ability to get enough breath into the body to support you as you speak.  It also looks a lot more professional and impressive than being hunched over in the chair and will make you feel more in control as well (even if you don't feel it!).
5) Practice pitching - whether you're in an interview, having an important conversation with the boss or giving a presentation, practice, practice, practice.  Find a trusted colleague, friend or family member to practice in front of and give feedback or if you have the technology, record yourself as you have the practice conversation/pitch.  If you don't know how you sound, it is imperative that you record yourself talking so you can hear what everyone else does.  You might be surprised....

The Golden Rule to avoiding mumbling is being confident in what you are saying and using your body to convey this confidence - standing or sitting with shoulders back, head held high and direct eye contact.  Depending on the situation you are in, the nerves may be there so the shoulders tense, the throat constricts and the voice gets shaky. Deep breaths, pausing and relaxing are key to getting through this but we all know, it's not always that easy!

Remember - speak slowly, enunciate and sit up straight.