Proper Pronunciation

At every Excellence in Speaking course, we ask our students what traits they admire in an effective communicator. Every time we ask the question, the answers are always the same because people can easily recognize the traits of a good speaker. Once we make our students aware of what it takes, we coach them to adopt those traits for themselves. What we can name, we can develop. 

The flip side to that is becoming aware of distractions - how we shoot ourselves in the foot with our own actions and limitations while trying to communicate. So in addition to asking our students what they admire in effective speakers, we ask them what detracts from a speaker's message. Once again, the answers are consistently the same. And throughout the course, our students learn that each and every one of the distractions can be overcome.

You wanna talk distraction? Try listening to a speaker who constantly mispronounces words. Improper pronunciation can cause a breakdown in communication and often requires more effort on the part of the audience to understand the message. Most of us pronounce words based on a lifetime of influence from our parents and friends, as well as our culture and the region where we grew up. 

• The folks up in Boston "pahk the cah in Hahvad Yahd"
• Because of the cold winters, Minnesotans have a hot dish season, "Ooh ya hun, da taater tot hot dish ya made was just deelish, oooh ya...."  
• Y'all know that in the south they do not differentiate between the "e" and the "i" in a word. If y'all are doing it right, then someone should wonder whether you're wanting to sew or write when you ask for a "pen".

But we're not talking about dialects, we are talking about words that are frequently mispronounced by native English speakers regardless of their regional accents. Pronunciation plays an important role in a presentation, so don't let yours be a distraction to your audience.

www.yourdictionary.com has put together a list of The 100 most often mispronounced English words. You can click on the link for each word and hear the proper pronunciation (including the pronunciation of the word "pronunciation"). 

Here are some of our favorites: 

You're wrong if you say: artic

Say: arctic

You're wrong if you say: dialate

Say: dilate

You're wrong if you say: jewlery

Say: jewelry

You're wrong if you say: realator

Say: realtor 

You're wrong if you say: sherbert

Say: sherbet 

You're wrong if you say: spitting image

Say: spit and image

You're wrong if you say: supposably

Say: supposedly

Right or wrong, your audience will judge you by the way you pronounce words. Your credibility and authority as a speaker can be negatively affected by mispronouncing words, so if you're not sure about a word - look it up. And if you want to polish your skills and put them to good use, the faculty at Ty Boyd, Inc can help you become a more significant communicator.

Very Busy People

Everyone is allotted the same 24 hours in a day. Mother Teresa managed to minister to the poor, the sick, the orphaned and the dying during her 24 hours. Leonardo da Vinci made due with his 24 hours while dabbling in math, science, engineering, botany, anatomy, painting, sculpting, writing and playing music...just to name a few. And yet today, most people cannot manage to return a phone call or answer an email within a 24 hour period. 

There are those who are too busy to listen or read, and then there are those who make the effort, but do not have the time to pay attention to the details. These are the people who reply to specific questions with non-responsive answers. For example, yesterday I emailed a very busy person to confirm our appointment and to ask for the street address where we were to meet. The email was answered in a timely fashion, but failed to answer my question: "Thanks, I look forward to seeing you, too!" was the response I received. That's swell, but I'm still going to need that address.

Non-responsive answers used to be limited to witnesses being cross-examined by a lawyer:
Q: "Did you have a conversation with Mr. Jones about his plans to embezzle the money?"

A: "I spoke to Mr. Jones on many occasions."

Or to politicians: 

Q: Do you support higher taxes for the middle-class?

A: I think that's an important issue that needs to be discussed.

Or to husbands

Q: Does this skirt make me look fat?

A: I love you.

And now it seems that non-responsive answers are all the rage amongst busy people, as well.

Busy people wear their busyness like a badge of honor. It's become a competition amongst busy people to prove that they are, in fact, the very busiest. This is a problem if you are the person who has to communicate with Mr. or Ms. Busy because communicating is more than talking or presenting information - it requires listening, interpreting and processing. Being an effective communicator means checking your emails for typos as well as making sure that you answered all of the questions and addressed all of the concerns. And busy people don't seem to have time for that kind of Tom Foolery.

I could go on and on and on, but I just don't have the time.

If you need help navigating the ins and outs of effective communication - take a minute out of your hectic schedule and give Ty Boyd Communications & Coaching a call...we always have time for you.

George Jetson's Got Nothing on Us

Do you remember the video phone in The Jetsons cartoon that George used to let his wife Jane know that he would be working late? Back in the early '60s when George starred in Hanna-Barbera's animated television comedy, the idea of a video phone seemed preposterous. But today the Jetsons' array of gizmos and gadgets are not all that far-fetched. Ok, Rosie the humanoid robot maid is still a stretch, but video chat platforms are as common in today's world as flying cars and jet packs were in George's day.

Skype allows its users to video chat on a phone, a computer or even a TV while it's competition, Apple's FaceTime, delivers an equally fantastic video experience between Apple-to-Apple calls. Regardless of the video chat platform that you choose, the technology allows you to hold meetings with colleagues in a different country, share a birthday wish with a friend in a different state, or hold coaching sessions with a client across town. Communicating with people all over the world - just like George Jetson used to do - is as easy as pie. 

But, this way of communicating does have its minor drawback. Gone are the days when working at home meant that you could don your pajamas, with a bad case of bedhead, and a poppy seed from your breakfast bagel wedged between your teeth while talking to clients on the phone. That no longer works since people can see as well as hear you. So, comb your hair, brush your teeth and get out of your sleeping shirt because the way we dress not only demonstrates how we view ourselves, it becomes a way of respecting or disrespecting our audience....and this applies whether you are in front of a live audience or on a video conference call.

And there are other things to think about if you are making a video call from home. Be aware of the distractions - make sure that Fido is in another room and your child is occupied. The name of the game is respect. Behave the same way - that is, like a professional - as you would if you and your audience were in the same room. You may be alone, but you are being watched, so be aware of your facial expressions. And if you think for a minute that your audience can't see you texting on your phone - think again.

Eye contact is just as important when you are chatting over the Internet as it is when you are chatting face to face. Because most cameras are embedded on the top of a computer monitor, you are not actually making eye contact if you are looking at the screen. It feels awkward, but if you want to look into the face of the person you are speaking with, you really need to look up at the camera. So, chin up. And speaking of chins - the American Society of Plastic Surgeons reports that chin augmentation grew by 71 percent in 2011. That's more than breast augmentation, Botox and liposuction - combined. According to ASPS president, Malcolm Z. Roth, "As more people see themselves on video chat technology, they may notice that their jawline is not as sharp as they want it to be. Chin implants can make a dramatic difference." A strong jaw line might convey sense of power and authority, but nothing says respect, interest, appreciation and understanding like good old-fashion eye contact.

Bottom line: Your messenger skills are essential to creating a connection with your clients and colleagues whether you are talking in person or chatting like George Jetson.

Have You Opened Your Toolbox?

At the end of our two and a half day Excellence in Speaking course, our students walk away more confident, more capable and more powerful because they have learned how to communicate effectively. We leave our graduates with this thought, "You are now able to change what people think by what you do. Have you got the courage to open your toolbox?" 

That is, of course, the key. 

We provide an action plan for growth, but to be of value, the new skills must be put into practice and used. We encourage our clients to pull out the tools, one by one, and use them every chance that they can. Practice them. Hone them. Become proficient in their use. The best way to improve communication skills, is to try new techniques, incorporate new technologies, listen to other speakers to see what is working for them, and watch audiences to see how they respond. Don't be afraid to experiment with new ideas that might improve your skills, your timing, your connection, your effectiveness and your confidence. 

So, have you been opening your toolbox? Be honest....

It takes effort to be on your A-game; if you've fallen off the wagon, it's time to climb back on. Here is a list of things that you can try to shake things up and get you refocused. Pick one (or a couple) and over the next month or so commit to shining up some of those tools in your toolbox whether you are in a meeting, giving a presentation, on a sales call or talking one on one.

1. Try adding humor
2. Tell more stories
3. Introduce props into your presentations
4. Concentrate on your opening and closing
5. Videotape your presentations, then watch and self coach
6. Focus on connecting with your audience
7. If you're only speaking with your voice, try sending your message with gestures
8. Pay attention to your breathing
9. Invest more time in practicing your speech
10. Strive for the best that you can be - not perfection
11. Put the audience center stage
12. Tolerate silences
13. Create opportunities to speak
14. Listen with your ears...and your eyes
15. Be organized - the time you spend preparing is an investment in power

And then drop us a line and let us know how it's going.

The Passion of an Olympic Athlete

Will Michael Phelps pass Russian gymnast Larisa Latynina's 18 medals and become the most decorated Olympian in history? Will he take back the role of America's Best Swimmer? The world will be watching Phelps this month at the Olympic Games in London, England to see if he has what it takes.

Earlier this spring, Phelps told the Baltimore Sun that he was burned out after winning eight gold medals in Beijing. As a result, his training suffered as he struggled to find the motivation to keep going. Says Phelps, "The last couple of years my training hasn't been great, but I've recently been able to get the excitement back in the water. It's going to be a fun summer." Swimming fans certainly hope so. Phelps' 16 Olympic medals are two short of Latynina's record. If he pulls it off, and becomes the new record holder for the most medals, Ray Lewis, a linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens probably deserves some of the credit.

Phelps, a native of Baltimore and a big Ravens fan, has become a close friend of Ray Lewis' and a familiar sight at M&T bank Stadium when the Ravens play at home. Listening to Lewis' pep talks and seeing the passion that Ray Lewis still has for his sport - even after 16 seasons - helped Phelps rediscover his passion for swimming. Ray Lewis has the reputation for motivating his team on the field and other teams off the field. Here's a glimpse into Lewis' ability to inspire.

Passion isn't something that can be taught. It is innate - something that a person develops over time. It is possible to be inspired by passion - experiencing Ray Lewis' passion reinvigorated Phelps desire to be the best swimmer that he can be - but if Phelps wasn't passionate about swimming, no amount of convincing or lecturing would change it. "I have goals that I want to accomplish," Phelps said. "I know it won't be eight medals again. I'm going out there to accomplish the things I have in my mind and my heart. If I can do that and have fun, that's all that matters to me." .

If we at Ty Boyd, Inc., could enforce one public speaking rule it would be: never speak about anything with which you have no passion. You may have the world's most important message, but if you deliver it without energy, without passion, it falls on deaf ears. The same thing applies to Olympic athletes: their energy and drive comes from their passion for the sport.

Phelps has proven in the past that he has the ability to harness his passion. He has found that thing that gets his blood pumping, that thing that he wants to share with the world. And the world will be watching, once again, to see him feed his passion in London.