Express Lane

To answer your questions on who the smiling and international face of Vancouver  is in our  ‘place holder’ picture for the May Post on the Express Lane Blog, let me just say this:

She is one of the wonderful new friends I have met in the course of working with professional people seeking cross cultural understanding and better grasp of every day English in conversation and real life situations.

Here, pink cherry blossoms begin the spiral of  blooms spring brings to the Lower Mainland, and welcome her family as new official Citizens of Canada. Yet more quality people who have come with education, a family, great intentions and positive outlook. All are ready to contribute to their new home and in fact have already begun work at the entry level possible for them, despite being several notches down from their expertise and capability. In addition this snap was taken on a day of rest between the volunteer jobs they have undertaken.

Why are new immigrants volunteering? For meaningful contact and to contribute with their appreciation for supports they have experienced in their process of resettlement.

They are motivated to improve their communication skills. To learn more about their culture through direct experience of those already living in it. And, they have chosen to honour the citizens that made this country what it is – the seniors who worked, served, built and educated the society they now live in.

Adaptation to a new culture brings a lifetime of learning, reward and sacrifice. I am happy to have shared this one positive face with the world as a reminder of the human connection and the hard work and dedication to communication success that goes on, well past the time inked stamps dry and paper is filed.

It’s been happening now – the out loud talking for an afternoon, an evening, and an abnormally early start (again) in the morning.

Talking out my presentation in my Professional Image and Business Writing seminar, is normal when it is preparation. No. The murmuring and gesticulation as I go about the daily routine of my life – is after the fact – not a rehearsal or reinforcement.

It’s the verbal version of the drafts I encourage my clients to write. “First”, I say, “get the raw ideas and then formative sentences down on paper.”  Then I assure them of what I hold to be absolutely true, “The magic in writing, in communicating comes in the editing. It is refined in the revisions. That is where you find your true voice and the purest, most powerful message you transmit about yourself,  or the products or services you are selling.

I can’t control this voice. It keeps coming out as if I have an audience. I feel like an NHL goalie who blocked so many shots on her goal in the semi finals, she is still flailing reflexively at imaginary pucks coming at her. All this despite her now unlacing post game in the locker room.

If rehearsing is exercising your essential voice, this must be exorcising it.

I’m reviewing and evaluating the amount of content I shared in yesterday’s Business Communication Seminar. I am evaluating whether the anecdotes were relevant, the opinions valid, the examples useful and the ratio of my speaking to their writing appropriate.

The icky and uncomfortable parts are getting pushed out the same way they got into my presentation – through my voice. The bits that were less than professional, not well thought out have to be purged. It is uncomfortable, but then sometimes the editing process – challenges.

The editing, because it was an interactive, out loud session must go on till both my discomfort is purged and the many unspoken messages I absorbed from the class are diffused.