Authenticity

How do we sound or remain authentic when we are 'telling our story' in interviews? Repetition of anything builds in smoothness of delivery but often with loss of connectivity to the message, if delivered by rote. In our workshops we are very interested in clients maintaining authenticity. How else are we to build trust and rapport in our relationships? My maternal Grandmother approved of my father because of his 'open' face as she felt this reflected his nature. To some extent it did but we can't entirely rely on looks however much we want to. The voice itself is also a great provider of clues. The authentic voice is connected to the body of the person using it. When we release someone vocally we often see a very different person, someone somehow completed. Breath is vital to this process. If a voice is breathy you are diminished; if too quiet you are diminished and if unclear or rushed it is again you who are diminished by it. Your voice at it's most open and free can only be authentic. Assisted by an open body and stance you both sound and look secure. You have to practise to ensure this becomes a default attitude.

Martha Carney - @BBCRadio4 - Women's Hour

Half an ear in and out of this programme today but I was a litttle concerned that Martha seemed to deride one of the contributors for her 'love and nurturing' comment. This women was evidently a little stuck for words and she was saying that women in the construction industry can try to behave like men to get on and there was no need. They should not lose their ability to nurture. She nearly got there because she did talk about male and female, jin and yang. I think what she meant to express was that we do not have to become more aggressive, overly direct or unemotional simply because some of us work in a male dominated environment. It is possible to maintain femininity (not girlishness or flirtyness but female attributes) whilst still having gravitas. I relate this to authenticity. If we are true to our core selves then our behaviours become authentic and as long as we are displaying valuable traits then they can be valued acordingly.