You’re about to give the presentation of your career. Your words are powerful, persuasive and hard-hitting. You’ve done your research. The figures all add up. You cannot fail.
Until you open your mouth to speak…
We all know it’s not just what you say, but how you say it that has impact. Effective use of voice means you are more likely to engage your listener as you will bring audibility, clarity and vocal variety to your presentation. However, if your voice is weak and wavering then it doesn’t matter how strong your words are, your listener will hear how you say them more than what you say. If the power of your voice does not reflect the power of your message, then you will simply fail to deliver.
An understanding of effective use and care of voice is vital in business for anyone who relies on their voice to get their job done. From delivering those career-defining presentations to customer liaison, from field sales to telemarketing, effective use and care of voice can enhance performance, boost employee health and wellbeing and ensure messages hit home with power, direction and clarity.
There has been so much buzz around our latest online course, Use and Care of Voice for Teachers, that the team at echo3education are currently developing Use and Care of Voice for Business.
If you feel you already bring a good level of vocal variety to your presentations and you have no concerns about your ability to project your voice, but you still find yourself suffering from the occasional sore or hoarse throat then this new course will benefit you also. Until Use and Care of Voice for Business becomes available in Spring 2019, here are some tips to help you make the most of your voice so that the how of what you are communicating is as impactful as the what.
MaximisIng the potential of your voice requires first having an understanding of how the voice is produced:
- Breathing is of fundamental importance to effective voice production. A poor breathing habit is one of the main causes of vocal fatigue. When you inhale, do you use your full lung capacity or are you a shallow, upper chest breather? Upper chest breathing is fine for everyday conversation however this will not provide you with the volume of breath required when presenting. Nor will it support your voice effectively if you rely on it heavily throughout the day. When you inhale, try consciously breathing right down to your diaphragm (the big dome-shaped muscle that separates your abdominal cavity from your chest cavity). Your lower rib cage should expand as the bottom of your lungs fill with air. If you find that difficult, the new Use and Care of Voice for Business course will take you through some simple breathing exercises to improve your breath control.
- Considering the importance of breathing, it is no surprise that posture also determines vocal quality. Effective breathing requires a relaxed, open posture with your head well supported at the top of a spine that is in natural alignment. If you are standing, your feet should be hip width apart, shoulders relaxed and free from tension. If seated, again your body should be free from tension, your spine naturally aligned, not slumped, and feet planted on the floor (avoid crossing your legs). Reflect also on the impact this open, confident body language has on the quality of your message and ultimately on your audience.
Now we’ve got your breathing and posture sorted, let’s consider vocal quality:
- Are you a mumbler? Or does your voice have a tendency to tail off at the end of sentences? Articulate clearly. Carve your words with your articulators – your tongue, teeth and lips. Doing a few tongue twisters before you speak can prevent you from tripping over your own tongue when presenting, particularly first thing in the morning before your voice has had a chance to warm up.
- Take time to reflect on the pitch, pace and tone of your voice. Do you consistently pitch your voice to high? Perhaps your pitch goes up when you are nervous. Do you have a habit of speaking too quickly or too slowly? Either can quickly lose your audience. Don’t forget to pause… to give your listeners processing time or simply to emphasise a point, or even…
…for dramatic effect.
Does your voice have a warm, mellow tone or is it nasal and harsh? Work on introducing vocal variety to your speaking voice. It can be really useful to ask a friend or colleague to give you feedback on your voice to help identify areas for improvement.
- If you are breathing effectively, you should find that your volume improves without having to consciously speak more loudly. The great thing is, if articulation, pitch and pace are all in place, your voice will carry. If you still find vocal projection a challenge, it can help to literally ‘think the voice out’. As you speak, imagine your voice travelling to the back of the room. If you feel your voice is shallow, breathy and/or lacks volume, you need to keep working on breathing from your diaphragm (just five minutes of breathing exercises daily over 6 weeks can have a positive impact). Aim to speak from your belly rather than from your upper chest. Remain tension free.
- It’s good practice to get into the habit of a daily vocal warm up. You wouldn’t do sport without first warming up, so why should you expect your body to do all it needs to support your voice effectively without warming it up? The Use and Care of Voice for Business course will share some simple daily warm up activities to help you start your day the right way.
- Drink plenty of water throughout the day. Aim to take a sip of water every few minutes during periods of prolonged speaking. Keep your larynx lubricated!
- Speaking of hydration, avoid caffeine before and during a presentation or big meeting. It dehydrates. As does alcohol.
- When you start speaking, give your audience some tuning in time. It takes the human ear a few minutes to acclimatise to the cadences of a new voice.
- While speaking, don’t forget to give yourself, and your listeners, a break. Chunk your presentation by planning opportunity for pauses – for example by asking questions or giving reflection time.
- After speaking for prolonged periods, it’s important to rest your voice.
All that said, if the voice is used heavily throughout the working day, even people with good voice care habits may find themselves suffering from the occasional bout of vocal fatigue. If you start to feel that telltale scratch at the back of your throat, if your voice begins to get raspy or simply doesn’t feel as strong as it normally does, follow this advice:
- It’s more vital than ever to rest your voice. Total vocal rest is the most effective way to alleviate vocal fatigue. If this isn’t possible, be sure to factor in rest periods through the day and continue on into the evening if necessary.
- Do not whisper. Whispering simply puts more strain on your vocal chords and will exacerbate the situation.
- Avoid medicated lozenges and throat sprays. Suck on a fruit pastille instead.
- Gargle with cooled boiled, salted water (spit!) or water and soluble aspirin (swallow!).
- If the problem continues, or you suffer from a constant unproductive cough or urge to clear your throat, you should visit your GP. You may be referred to an ear, nose and throat specialist to investigate whether there is an underlying medical issue.
- Don’t forget to drink your water!
By following this advice, you should start to see small improvements in your speaking voice. For long term impact, all of the above, and much more, will be explored in greater depth In the Use and Care of Voice for Business online course, released in Spring 2019. If you can’t wait until then, you could try our Use and Care of Voice for Teachers course which is available now. The science is the same, the exercises transferable to any professional context. You have a voice. Use it effectively, care for it wisely.
