Word Of the Week #534: Tone of Voice
October 30, 2014 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on Word Of the Week #534: Tone of Voice
Tone of Voice – style or manner of approach in speaking.
Did you know that when you speak over the phone with a smile it completely changes your tone of voice? Are you conscious of how loud or how softly you speak? Does your tone of voice change when you get excited or want to make a point?
This is #3 of my 7 Simple Steps of Service. Did you know that 38% of your message is relayed by your voice? That includes your tone, rate of speech, accent, inflection, pacing, projection, and so on.
The words you choose to speak are important, but they are just part of your message. And like I wrote last week, only 7%! Your customers, members, guests, clients (and even loved ones) will always go for the visual signals and tone of voice over the actual words spoken. Remember, you are the message!
Did you also know that your tone of voice and pitch will raise and your voice will tighten if you are not telling the truth when asked a question?
For those of you who spend a lot of time on the phone, your tone of voice becomes your eye contact! Stop and think about how fast you are speaking and how sincere your tone of voice is coming across.
And this response hit home for me too! “Boy is this WOW aimed right at me! My daughter and granddaughter are always jumping on my case about my tone of voice. We get in more “discussions” because of how they perceive my tone of voice. When talking with clients or prospective clients, though, I make it a point to smile when I’m talking, and make sure that I am projecting a pleasant tone.” — Terry
This week focus on your tone of voice. Do you tend to talk fast or slow? How would you rate your inflection? Are you projecting a pleasant tone of voice? Have you ever tried smiling when speaking over the phone?
I LOVE feedback! Join my Facebook community on my FUN-damentals Fan Page.
FUN-travel: Grundarfjörður, Iceland – A&K Arctic Cruise Day 12
October 26, 2014 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Grundarfjörður, Iceland – A&K Arctic Cruise Day 12
Day 51 – Wednesday, August 20 – Grundarfjörður, Iceland – A&K Cruise Day 12 – sun w/clouds in distance – low 50’s
What I LIKE
- 7:45 – full on sun!
- 8:30 – usual breakfast
- 9:30 – start packing
- 11:30 – Recap slide show in main theatre
- 12:15 – lunch no theme
- 1:45 – start line up for tour
- 2:00 – depart for land tour Wonders of the West
- – small fishing villages hug dramatic coastline
Djúpalónssandur
- 3:00 – first stop Djúpalónssandur – walk thru lava rock formations
- – down to black sand beach
- – filled w/pebbles & stones of all shapes & sizes
- – varying shades of black & gray
- – fishing boats dot the horizon
- 3:50 – back on bus for
- 4:10 – 2nd stop – Arnarstapi
- – small seaside village
- – nice walk along cliffs of more lava
- – huge lava sculpture welcoming all
- 4:50 – back on bus for
- 5:15 – 3rd stop Budi – small village
- – black church & cemetery
- – short walk to beach w/yellow sand
- – more lava rocks w/high grass & rolling dunes
- – miniature flower clusters like Greenland
- – only bigger versions of daisy, daffodil & roses
- 6:00 – back to ship – nice drive along seaside
Alice, Bill, Chris & Me
- 6:30 – arrive ship
- 8:00 – dinner Deck 6
- – YIKES everyone had the same idea and it’s full!
- 11:00 – night night for big day tomorrow
What I DON’T LIKE
- No satellite & have seen everything on TV
- 12:45 am – totally missed the Aurora Borealis! AKA Northern Lights
FUN-fact – People names – In Iceland the child is given a first name and the last name is the first name of the father with their gender added. Example: John Erikson
FUN-travel: Húsavík, Iceland – A&K Arctic Cruise Day 11
October 25, 2014 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Húsavík, Iceland – A&K Arctic Cruise Day 11
Day 50 – Tuesday, August 19 – Húsavík, Iceland – A&K Cruise Day 11 – blue skies w/high wispy clouds turns dark & cloudy late afternoon – high 58 – sunrise 4:51 – sunset 9:14
Godafoss
What I LIKE
- 8:30 – depart for full day land tour – Jewels of the North
- *9:10 – 1st stop – Godafoss – translates Waterfall of the Gods
- – nice walk across bridge
- – landscape is green rolling hills
- – mixed w/lava fields & snow capped mtns
Lava Formations
- 9:50 – depart
- 10:45 – 2nd stop – Lake w/lava formations
- Huge glacier visible from 90 miles
- 11:10 – depart
- 11:30 – 3rd stop – lunch – Free Wifi! Catch up on all the email!
FUN-food – OMG is best yet! – tomato soup – Icelandic trout (looks & tastes like salmon) w/mashed potatoes & fresh green beans – dessert is special Icelandic yogurt
Dimmuborgir
- :15 – depart
- 1:25 – 4th stop – Dimmuborgir – large geothermal field
- – hot bubbling sulfur pits
- @ base of majestic Namafjall Mountain
- 3:00 – 5th stop – Whale Museum
- 4:00 – nice short walk for cappuccino break @ main bakery – VG
- 4:30 – shuttle back to ship
Dimmuborgir
- 5:00 – set sail
- 7:00 – Captain’s Farewell cocktail Party
- 7:45 – dinner
- 9:45 – opt out of Oo La La Paris show in theatre
- 10:30 – ready for bed
What I DON’T LIKE
- Wake up all nite long
- 6:30 – get up
- 8:10 – tour line snaking thru reception area
- *- lots of mosquitoes
FUN-fact – 1/10 of Iceland is covered by ice and is the biggest glacier in Europe.
Chris, Gabby, Brooke & Me
Word Of the Week #533: Eye Contact
October 22, 2014 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on Word Of the Week #533: Eye Contact
Eye Contact – connecting with another person without speaking.
What is your first reaction to people who speak to you without making eye contact? Do you trust them? Do they appear to be uncaring? Do you think they are hiding something?
This is #2 of my 7 Simple Steps of Service. Last week I wrote, “If you want to be memorable and develop long lasting relationships, you need to recognize and pay attention to all of the people you come in contact with.”
Did you know that your body language, which includes eye contact, makes up about 55% of your nonverbal message? And it’s five times more powerful than the words you speak! I have always said that if you make eye contact with another person for just one second you will create a connection. Continue that eye contact for three seconds and you will have started a relationship!
Most comments about lack of eye contact are negative or unfavorable. Good communicators and good listeners develop positive eye contact with other people. Eye contact is an important part of being perceived as an honest, sincere, and confident person.
When I first used this WOW over 10 years ago this is what one reader wrote. “After reading this, I made it a point to look at each and every person in my spin class before I started. Several students came up to me at the end and said it was the best class I had taught. WOW to the power of connecting with your eyes.” – Sandra
Then another reader wrote, “In general you are correct about negative perceptions of lack of eye contact, especially in business exchanges – even customers feel slighted and their presence not validated in a retail exchange that lacks eye contact. In our diverse work force and International Business climate I was disappointed that you made no mention that direct eye contact is the Western norm. It is highly disrespectful to First Americans and to individuals with a Far East, Middle Eastern or North African heritage. Even Americans whose ancestor hails back to those cultures may be offended at a gut level even though they have been trained in Western mannerisms. In the business world – putting one’s client or partners at ease is the beginning of building trust. Becoming sensitive and attuned to individual business situations without stereotypical expectations is the key to starting a trust based relationship. We must train ourselves to “see” the person(s) we are working with and not just the situational business at hand.” – Julie
This week focus on making eye contact with everyone that you interact with at work, play or home. Notice if you feel a connection more quickly and how the other person responds. Do you make eye contact with your customers, members, guests and clients when you are the phone or helping someone so they feel acknowledged? Have you ever felt ignored because you were “not seen” by another person?
I LOVE feedback! Join my Facebook community on my FUN-damentals Fan Page.
FUN-travel: At Sea – A&K Arctic Cruise Day 10
October 18, 2014 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on FUN-travel: At Sea – A&K Arctic Cruise Day 10
Day 49 – Monday, August 18 – At Sea – A&K Cruise Day 10 – sun w/clouds – 50’s – sunrise 4:31 – sunset 9:53 – typical sea day
On Deck 6 Sailing Out of Greenland
What I LIKE
- 9:00 –typical breakfast w/snack for the room
- 9:45 – lecture on TV – the Future of the Oceans
- 11:30 – lecture on TV – All about Auks
- 1:00 – typical lunch w/no theme
- 2:30 – nap
- 5:00 – lecture on TV – Climate Change – Ancient Records & Modern Reality
- 7:00 – Expedition Recap – last one for the cruise – highlights of trip
- – pictures w/music presentation on the big screens
- – when you see them all together it looks like we had a good trip!
- 8:00 – dinner w/Gabby & Brooke & 2 other couples
- – celebrating their 35th anniversary
- 10:00 – Julio (an 80 yr old fellow passenger & entertainer) serenades the group in the dining room with his singing and guitar playing
Our Room
What I DON’T LIKE
- Typical sea day – have watched everything on TV and getting bored
FUN-fact – Greenland is not a continent because it is part of the North American tectonic plate.
More FF – We crossed the Denmark Strait today which stretches 300 miles to Iceland and connects the Arctic Sea to the Atlantic Ocean.
