Continuing with our series on how to get past the security guard in your listener’s brain, today we’ll talk about speaking with a vibrant voice and clear diction.
When I ask audiences and workshop participants, “What’s the most boring element in a boring presentation?” the immediate answer, without exception, is “monotonous voice”. We’ve all heard it – a flat, lifeless drone with no highs and lows in pitch and no variation in volume. You’d almost think this artificial-sounding voice was being generated by a machine. It makes me wonder, “Is that how he/she talks all the time? Even one-on-one?” Surely not! Your public speaking voice should sound as natural as your one-on-one voice.
I suspect there are a number of reasons why some speakers flatten their voice into a monotone. Perhaps the strongest reason is discomfort with having to speak in front of an audience at all. I attended a dinner once, where the after-dinner speaker asked one of his associates, sitting in the audience, to answer another audience-member’s question. As she stood up to speak, I could see from her face that she’d rather be anywhere else on the planet than speak to these hundred-or-so people. Sure enough, her voice lost all its normal tone and expression. It’s interesting how strongly a person’s comfort level with speaking affects the vibrancy of their voice. Remember that your job is to connect, not to impress. If you focus on being warm and welcoming, on giving something of value to your audience, you will increase your comfort level with them.
I also wonder if some speakers are afraid of putting too much expression or emotion in their voice. Perhaps they fear they’ll look foolish, so they don’t use any expression at all. What these speakers don’t realize is that “boring” is a far worse enemy than “foolish”. Besides, expressive is interesting, not foolish! In my “SPEAK UP!” workshops, participants do an exercise to overcome their inhibitions about being expressive. They talk to the group about an event that caused them to feel strong emotion, being as expressive as they can. Then they repeat the climax of their story, being even more expressive. They learn from the group’s feedback that the more expressive they become, the more interesting they become.
People who aren’t used to speaking with expression don’t realize how much energy it takes to be interesting. It takes both energy and effort. But then, if you care about your audience’s experience, you’ll be willing to put yourself out a bit for them, won’t you? It stands to reason that the audience can only get excited about the topic when the speaker shows some enthusiasm.
When you first try it, speaking with more energy and expression might feel so unfamiliar to you that you may be tempted to assume that it’s wrong or unnatural. Don’t be fooled! It’s just new, not wrong. Try it out with some friends or family members. Don’t fake it, though. You have to genuinely feel what you’re expressing, or you really will sound over-the-top and phony.
Energy is also a factor in clear diction. Again, most people don’t realise how much energy and effort it takes to be clear. A lazy approach to diction results in slurred consonants and squashed-together syllables, leaving the audience to try to sort out what is being said. That’s hardly what you want! Using your lips, tongue and jaw more energetically than you’re used to will really feel odd, but the payoff is better connection with your listeners and more effective communication. It’s worth it! If you’re not sure how to go about improving your diction, seek out a voice teacher or speech coach.
Our habits of speech develop over a lifetime. They become so much a part of us, it feels as if they are part of our very identity. If you buy into that, it will feel as if you are doing something artificial, something not “you” if you try to change it. Take a step back and realise that good speaking is simply a skill, like any other. Improving your skills is improving your effectiveness in communicating, not changing who you are. Have courage! It’s worth the effort.
