I recently read a blog post by Greg Crawford, the President of my alma mater, Miami University. His post was entitled Finding Your Voice, and it really hit home for me. He spoke about the value of a liberal arts degree as a way of learning that “introduces our students to the ideas and actions of human beings throughout history and across the world. In different times and places, leaders and thinkers have responded to the world around them through philosophy, literature, poetry, music, and art.” (Something to remember the next time someone asks why I majored in history.) His point was that “we find our voice by listening to others wherever we encounter them,” and a liberal arts degree is ideally suited for that pursuit.
While he was speaking to high school students embarking on their college careers, I feel like his message is still valid for us as business leaders. You may have already established your voice, but our voices should be ever-evolving throughout our careers. We need to be mindful of this with both the evolution of our own voice and the role that we play in helping our colleagues develop their own.
Knowing that your voice is shaped by those you interact with, you need to choose your influencers wisely. As President Crawford said, “every person has something to contribute to others.” You just need to make sure that contribution is a positive one. Taking cues from your teammates, your boss and your customers are great ways to evolve your voice. The varied backgrounds of those that you interact with daily can offer you opportunities to develop a voice that you couldn’t have accomplished without their insight. It also creates a voice that can reach a broader audience as you begin to mix in learnings from others into your own voice.
We also shouldn’t take the role we play in helping others create their voice lightly. Are you effectively able to communicate your ideas? Are you able to effectively share your perspectives on things? Being able to articulate your position, and being able to explain how you got there will help people better understand you and what has gone into creating your voice.
My challenge this time is for those of you with a strong voice to use it. Become that influencer and help your organization grow. For those of you still trying to find your voice, be a sponge and soak in whatever you can learn from others. Those interactions will help you find that voice you have be searching for.
Onward and Upward
Check out other insightful articles by Rob on our blog, such as "Accidental Leadership" or "Keeping the Main Thing the Main Thing."