Monthly Newsletter

Vocal Power Newsletter

February, 2012 Edition

Arthur in Action.

One of the things I love about my life, the work I’m privileged to do, is that every day is different – every week, every month. The one common thing that does exist, however, is that – whether it’s personal or professional – it is all Vocal Awareness. Vocal Awareness is not merely what I do, but who I am.

This month I find myself busy teaching my regular weekly students. I may also be at the Super Bowl on February 5 because one of my clients is the Commissioner of the National Football League, Roger Goodell and I have helped him to prepare his pre-Super Bowl remarks in Vocal Awareness. Roger is a truly exemplary man and an extraordinarily hard worker; he is committed to doing the Work: our Rituals, exercises, etc. – including the concepts of Visceral Language and Seeing Periods, which have been quite helpful to him.

Later in the month, my wife and I are attending a family wedding which promises to be a great celebration and reunion of family and friends.

The third week of February I am at ESPN in Bristol, Connecticut – not only for my usual broadcast work, but also for my leadership program called “Empowerment Through Voice,” where I will work with the management side of the company on leadership development through Vocal Awareness.

As I begin February, I will also be personally entering into the first month of my new year; my birthday is at the end of January. I recently discovered that the Chinese New Year, this year, is actually on my birthday and it is the Year of the Dragon. So, February begins what I call my “Bruce Lee Year” (in honor of his movie, Enter the Dragon, and his incredible dedication to his Work). I enter my 2012 in the Year of the Dragon.

I love celebration and I respect tradition. February holidays include President’s Day, honoring great presidents such as George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. One of the things that is truly part of these two great Presidents’ legacies was what fine orators they were and what extraordinary communication abilities they had – which enabled them to be very tactical and persuasive both as leaders and politicians.

February also brings the romance of Valentine’s Day, which my bride and I will happily celebrate. We have had so many celebrations big and small in our lives together – each of them very special in their own way. We both make sure that every celebration reflects our love and commitment to one another.

Tradition is part of Vocal Awareness. Respect is part of Vocal Awareness – so these celebrations, these holidays, are part of what I choose to honor for myself as well. Vocal Awareness never does anything perfunctorily or habitually unconsciously. Public celebrations are so easily seen as a “day off” from work or something we don’t relate to, but through Vocal Awareness we are given the opportunity to be more mindful and appreciative of all we have and all we do.

Vocal Awareness Goal

Conquering Performance Anxiety and Stage Fright, Part 1.

Commit to a new Conscious Awareness in every “performance,” every interaction.

“Performance anxiety” or “stage fright” does not only affect those in the “Arts,” public speaking or athletics; it affects everyone in some way at some point in their lives. It may pass quickly, but for others it can become a debilitating challenge to their personal and/or professional success. For example, in business, every personal encounter is a “performance moment,” because whether a conference call, PowerPoint presentation or client meeting, we are interfacing with someone who is watching and evaluating us. Vocal Awareness understands this reality and at its core level, teaches us to claim who we are and BE our authentic Self. Ultimately this is how we “conquer” every kind of fear. Through Vocal Awareness we shift life-long habits and unconscious behaviors to commit to a new Conscious Awareness in every “performance,” every interaction.

The question then is how do we become Consciously Aware – and not just occasionally, but in every context and circumstance. Vocal Awareness has many relevant and useful tools and in this newsletter we will cover two of the most important elements to claiming your authentic Self: creating your Persona Statement (or personal brand) and Making Voice Visual (which includes Marking Up Text.) Next month we will continue our exploration of how to conquer performance anxiety through Conscious (and Vocal) Awareness with Getting Started and the Seven Rituals.

Developing Your Persona Statement.

Your Persona is the truth of your identity being revealed, embodied and projected outward. Developing a Persona Statement teaches us how to choose to be who we are, and not simply settle for who we have been. The Persona Statement enables us to actually BE, rather than just appear to be, the same person everywhere we go. This ability to BE is critical in combating stage fright.

There are three steps to creating a Persona Statement (covered in-depth within our V.I.P. Club Toolbox and our Harnessing the Power Within DVD); these include exploring how we think others perceive us, recognizing how we perceive ourselves and then deciding how we actually want to be perceived and who we actually are. Vocal Awareness teaches us that we do have a choice and in the case of our Persona Statement the choice is who we want to be. Do we want to exhibit and experience fear or do we want to claim our power by simply being our Selves. The fact is, the way you think or feel about yourself and your actions directly affect how you relate and reveal yourself to the world.

Making Voice Visual.

Essential to Vocal Awareness is the process of “Making Voice Visual.” Arthur does this through his body language, through edge/arc and through actually seeing his words as he speaks them. One of the ways to learn to see your words is through the process of “marking up” text, because by seeing the words we are more fully able to embody them. Actually writing out your text and then marking it up creates conscious reminders of how to truly bring your words to life.

Useful Vocal Awareness notations include:

• S – to remind you to stay in Stature.
• TS – Thanking Source.
• CLB – to ensure you remember to allow a Conscious Loving Breath.
• Underlines – for important words you want to emphasize.
• √ – for places where you want or need a catch breath.
• ′ – Stress Marks above syllables that are significant.

So, “mark up” your speech, presentation or Persona Statement and then consciously practice it over and over again – never rushing or doing it in a habitual way. As always Vocal Awareness is Mastery and Mastery is in the details. Only conscious practice will allow you to deeply engage in those details. By practicing your Persona Statement out loud and making it visual as you do so, you will more fully embody it. Fully embodying your Persona Statement will bring you that much closer to eliminating your “stage fright.”

Ultimately, knowing who you are and truly being that person is what it’s all about, with the goal of Mastery and Conscious Awareness in every performance. Don’t simply believe it is possible, KNOW IT! This translates into confidence.

Overview of Telling Story.

Enhancing your ability not just to “tell story” but to embody your stories.

This month’s V.I.P. Club Module focuses on Storytelling – while technology has enabled us to tell our stories to more people more quickly – the power, the personal connection made possible by using our Voice is still clearly essential to us as individuals and to humanity as a whole.

Watching Arthur work with broadcaster, teacher, university trustee and former professional soccer player Allen Hopkins in this month’s V.I.P. View helps us to understand how Vocal Awareness enhances our ability not just to “tell story” but to embody our stories. As Arthur and Allen review and “mark up” Allen’s Mission Statement, bringing it to life as he embodies it, they use a range of Vocal Awareness techniques and metaphors, which help Allen to recognize the value inherent in turning everyday conversation into authentic storytelling.

Success Story

Greg Grochowski.

Owner – Grochowski Chiropractic

Greg Grochowski’s passion for Chiropractic began after being hit by a car while riding a bicycle at age 14. He received his Doctor of Chiropractic with honors from Southern California University of Health Sciences in 1996, and pursued graduate studies that included working in the Musculoskeletal Rehab at U.C. San Diego department of Orthopedics.

As opportunities arose for Greg to share his expertise with others through speaking engagements, he realized that he needed help to become the best public speaker he could possibly be. After ordering and working through Vocal Awareness home study materials, he got the opportunity to speak with Arthur while attending a Vocal Awareness conference call. This encounter began an association and friendship with Arthur that opened Greg up to as he puts it, “an entire world of Voice.”

Today Dr. Grochowski runs one of the largest Chiropractic Clinics in the Inland Empire where he was voted the "People’s Choice" for Chiropractor. Dr. Grochowski, his staff and his doctors are truly passionate about what they do.

Read Greg’s complete Success Story here.