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Laryngitis

Your voice is the house you build and invite people into. Prepare accordingly.

Boy, the term “brand” really messed stuff up.

In the blocking and tackling of business, it meant a line of business, unless it meant a company, or marks, logos, and colors, or a promise, or even just a mantra. Some sinister agent brought that confusion to an individual level; now people have a “personal brand” they foster, and under that shabby umbrella, we trundle concepts like impression, style, appearance, and performance.

Folks, this is actually your reputation. Remember that word?

In narrative realms — which, debatably, is ev-uh-ry-where — your voice drives your reputation. It also sends us face-first into another word game.

Voice doesn’t just mean tone, inflection, and pacing, though those take part. It also isn’t limited to word choice, though words are the tools you use.

Your voice is also shaped by how ready you are for the gift of their time. Show up unprepared, and your voice is actual voicelessness: the person who doesn’t know how to communicate.

Prepare. Have a plan.

The playbook is thick. Maybe you invite them to ride along with you. Use a Consider play: take me through your thought process and see if you’d choose what I chose. Or Create: here’s a new idea — build on it. Perhaps Collaborate: here’s a vision — let’s figure out how to get there together.

Maybe you challenge them instead. Contrast: something needs to change, and I’m going to show you the gap. Compete: here’s my proposal — beat it. Command: this is our new reality, period.

Any of these work. Any of them. Not using any plan gives you a reputation as a time-waster. Your voice is the house you build and invite people into — the actual words are just the decoration.

And trust me: the thoughtfulness of your design and the sturdiness of those beams is far more important than a flashy mantra or a sleek “brand”.