Okay, think of a voice you LOVE to listen to…
Did you immediately think of:
Morgan Freeman
James Earl Jones
Alan Rickman
Patrick Stewart
Kathleen Turner
Oprah Winfrey
Judi Dench
Helen Mirren
We love to hear strong, powerful, soothing, expressive voices and know it immediately when we hear one. If you’ve ever tried to listen to an audiobook read by someone who is not trained or experienced, you know exactly what I’m talking about (it’s painful, it’s grievous, it’s murderous). Which is why Audible has a “Narrator Hall of Fame: Voices that Transform Stories”.
A good voice commands attention.
Yet one of the most overlooked aspects of nonverbal communication is vocal power. Having an understanding of how to use your voice can make a significant impact of how you are perceived.
So here’s the skinny on what to do:
1. Avoid upseak!
One of the vocal communication styles that is viewed as unprofessional is upspeak. According to one study, 85% of managers viewed upspeak as “making their people sound insecure.” The definition of upspeak (aka uptalk and high rising terminal) entails a rising intonation at the end of any and all utterances turning every sentence into a question. If you want to be viewed as a leader, make sure you go down at the end of a sentence like you are putting a period at the end or your statement versus a question mark. No “Valley Girl” talk!
2. Practice saying your name
Laura Sicola’s advice (7:25 to 9:05):
- Say your first name by going up at the end of it to show you are not done
- Take a very brief break to give the listener a moment to process
- And say your last name while vocally going down at the end to put a period on it.
3. When you hear your voice going higher (most often when we are nervous or stressed), take a deep breath in and speak on the out breath.
By speaking while exhaling, our vocal cords become more relaxed and lower our voice register. This is an easy habit to practice when answering the phone. Try doing it and seeing if you can hear the difference!
4. Do vocal warm ups
If you really want to work on your vocal power, and especially if you do a lot of speaking engagements, you may want to consider doing vocal warm ups. Practicing this in the car, shower, or private area can really be helpful—even if you feel and sound like you are speaking Parseltongue (language of serpents to anyone who hasn’t read the Harry Potter series)!
5. Add vocal variety!
Do:
- Use stories and smile to add warmth to your voice.
- Vary the pitch, pace, cadence, and tempo to add interest (like this video demonstration). It’s okay to add pauses in occasionally.
- Put emotional emphasis on words.
