LITMIR.BIZ

      Everyone has the capacity to use all five voices, but some of them are more natural to us than others. The voice that feels most natural is what we call our foundational voice. The other voices, which play a supporting role in the way we are heard and behave, are filtered through that primary, foundational voice, and depending on our circumstances and external influences, the predominance of those other voices can shift and become more visible at different points in our lives.

      Both of us, Jeremie and Steve, have different foundational voices. Jeremie's foundational voice is Connector, while Steve's foundational voice is Pioneer. We are both quite loud, as our wives and friends can attest. Loudness is not the only distinguishing feature, but a simple reality as you begin to understand the voices, and an important one, as louder voices can dominate softer ones. Remember, our goal in sharing the 5 Voices tool is to help you know what your voice sounds like and to help you learn to value and truly hear the others.

      As a way for you to see how the voices work, here's a short experiment: Get a piece of paper and grab a pen. Write your signature somewhere on your piece of paper. You probably didn't have to think about what you were doing at all, right? You just did it reflexively. Now, write your signature again, but this time with the other hand. Wow, that wasn't easy, was it? You likely had to concentrate on each letter as you wrote it and some of your perfectionist tendencies surfaced as you tried your hardest to make the signature flow as smoothly as it does with your natural hand.

      That's the best analogy to describe the voices. The first signature came from your dominant hand as you automatically picked up the pen and started writing your name. It's natural; it flows and you don't have to think about it. Of the 5 Voices, you will find there are at least two that are like your dominant hand. They're easy to access and people hear them clearly whenever you communicate. Similarly, for most of us, there are usually a couple of voices that are like our secondary hand. These voices are much more mechanical, clunky-feeling, even, and they are far harder to access because they are not natural for us. We not only find the two hard to speak ourselves, we also find them more difficult to value and engage with when we hear them. Maturity is learning to value the contribution each voice brings to the table and creating environments where each voice can be truly heard. Listen to how Diana Bocaneala, head of talent management for Endava in Cluj, Romania, describes this maturing process:

      Your voice is vital! Whether you are in an organization or in a family, your voice represents your role, your perspective, and your contribution. Your voice is valuable when it is used for the greater good. We are going to help you discover your voice and hone it until it becomes healthy and productive for everyone around you.