The Loudest Voice in the Room
The Loudest Voice in the Room
I was reminded this week that not everyone is old enough to know that Workin’ 9 to 5 isn’t just a song you hear ‘seasoned’ people whistle. It came from a movie. A movie starring Dolly Parton. A movie that some of us are still young enough to vividly remember protesting when mom sent us to bed while she watched it with dad on the 36” living room TV.
(For those unaware that 9 to 5 was a movie, please note: a TV is like a very heavy, non-portable portion of the internet that you had to watch in real time.)
While I knew of Dolly Parton and could whistle a few of the tunes myself, before this week I was completely unaware of just how much of a cultural icon she had become. I wasn’t surprised that the South took notice of her sudden passing, but the number of beautiful tributes from titans of industry, performers from every style and background, and world leaders near and far blew me away.
I’d forgotten that without Dolly, I probably never would have been interested in Whitney Houston’s Bodyguard. I never knew how close Elvis came to making I Will Always Love You famous long before Whitney did.
I had no idea just how loud Dolly’s voice was.
And that started the wheels turning in my mind, too.
While we’re often the loudest voices in our classrooms, do we truly realize how far our voices carry?
Words are powerful. Have you ever stopped to listen to the echo from your classroom?
I’ve started pondering whether I want not just the content of my lesson, but thedelivery to echo throughout my community.
What I teach, value, and reward is important, but over the last few years (with my own kids in the ensemble with me), I’ve begun to grasp that how I deliver that message matters as much or maybe more than the content.
While I love the laugh, did it come from a place of generosity?
While I have an insatiable quest for the highest levels of performance, did I take the best path to help a student see their possibilities and overcome their insecurities?
Did I take the best avenue or just the fast lane?
Our vocals carry farther than we think. I’m trying to pay more attention to what mine sounds like after it leaves the room.
Godspeed, Dolly. Thanks for the voice lesson.
Jeff
Remember:
“Humble voices carry farther.” ~ Bob Goff
“If you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.” ~ Dolly Parton