BWFLI
  • Facebook
  • Home
  • Blogs
    • Brenda’s Blog
      • Brenda’s Blog
      • About Brenda A. Smith
    • Weekly Thoughts
    • Breakfast With Fred
      • What is Breakfast With Fred?
      • About Fred Smith, Sr.
      • Breakfast With Fred website
  • BWFLI Roundtable
    • BWFLI Launches the Roundtable
    • Introduction-Schedule-Bios
    • Ron Glosser-Fred Smith chapter
    • Perseverance Book
    • 200 Mentoring Questions
    • Jarvis College BWFLI poster
    • Alice Lloyd College poster
    • Lindsey Wilson College poster
  • Leadership Online
    • Leadership Team
  • About Us
    • What is BWFLI?
    • What is Breakfast With Fred?
    • About Fred Smith, Sr.
    • About Brenda A. Smith
    • Contact Us
  • Please Donate
    • Click Here to Donate
    • Why Give to BWF Project, Inc.?

Listen to Me!

blog-68-rottweiler

Brenda’s Blog – May 17, 2016

“Use your Rottweiler voice…”

My daughter stood talking with a friend at church. The subject of a new and undisciplined dog was the topic. As Heather told of the misbehavior, her friend, a dog trainer, said, “use your Rottweiler voice.” Then without notice she loudly yelled, “NO!” The ensuing silence startled my daughter. People turned to see what happened. Embarrassed, my daughter’s friend smiled and continued the conversation in her non-Rottweiler voice.

There are moments when full-throated responses are not only helpful, but necessary. Think of the times when everything in you screamed “ENOUGH!” We either responded to another’s violation or even our own bad decisions. Change often begins with a loud proclamation.

We can get tone deaf when we live with relational noise long enough. We tune out negativity, discouragement, and distraction. We train ourselves to live with mediocrity. We need to take an inventory and perhaps use our Rottweiler voice to clear the air.

I am a product of the television era. At five Howdy Doody and Uncle Bob entertained us. I learned to do my homework with Dick Clark in the background. Even today, it provides company as I live alone. I learn to shut it out, but frequently a commercial comes on with a pitch so ridiculous it breaks through my hearing. As I spent time writing recently, an ad for “right sized toilets” came through. How can you not stop and listen? They figured out how to use their Rottweiler voice to capture my attention.

Women learn the effective use of voice placement to successfully compete. “Shrill, whiney, grating” are words often used to describe many female voices. Well-modulated, well-placed vocal expressions get attention without irritating. Speaking to be heard is incredibly important. Barking may work for dogs, but not for women (or men for that matter).

Let’s employ our authoritative voices as we mature socially and professionally. Let’s listen to our own voices as we seek to make wise choices.

  • Brenda A. Smith shares a TV Interview about LeTourneau-BWFLI event

  • Fred Smith Sr. shares a lifetime of Encouragement at Centennial Celebration

  • Mark Modesti TED Talk – The Argument for Trouble

  • Student Impact at Emmaus Bible College

  • BWFLI Impacts Lindsey Wilson College

Categories

Archives