Saturday “The Vet” and I were riding our bikes in enemy territory. We were riding in between our sons soccer games in the land of Kentucker. Lexington, Kentucky to be exact. We started riding toward the country in search of back roads and beautiful scenery. About a mile in we came on a couple locals and, as always, I asked for some directional help. They were super nice and offered some great advice. The hard part was understanding what they were trying to say. They had a very distinct “southern drawl,” you see.
I began to wonder.
How do people learn their accents? Are they taught in school how a proper southerner sounds? What happens if they don’t have what it takes to properly “drawl” southern style? Are they banished to the north or forced to continually mop The Rupp Arena floors?
Nope.
Accents are acquired by simply modeling. We learn how to speak by listening to those around us speak. Funny, huh. It’s really that simple.
We all pick up an accent based on the tones that our ears pick up. In other words, southerners sound the way that they do because they are simply imitating the sound of their role models. Hello leaders, this sounds like it might be important…
When you look at your team, keep this thought in mind.
Are you modeling what you want?
Are you worth imitating?
What tones are your teams picking up?
Is the sound of your drawl inviting, irritating, or invisible to discern?
Tell me more, my model.
Tell me more…
BUILT TO LEAD 
Reminds me of a recent quote:
“Children have never been good at listening to their elders, but they never fail to imitate them” – James Baldwin
…And that one stung a little….
KP
This reminds me of 7 38 55. . . as leaders we think what we say or write is more important than how we say or write it — and miss the boat of how real communication happens.
Just 7% of communication is the words — 38% is the drawl of our “tone”, and 55% is our non-verbals.
Most people don’t think THEY have a drawl — it’s OTHERS who have a funny accent. Thanks for fellow builders who have heard my “drawl” when it’s communicating anger, anxiety, hesitancy, etc. . . and helped me see what they hear.