When the Pregnant Pause Goes Into Labor!

Posted on May 3, 2012 by The Voice Lady

Recently I was interviewed on a blog radio program and the host paused so long after every comment I made that I wondered how many listeners she really had. Yes, the internet station of which she is a member has an excellent listenership, but I seriously question whether this particular woman has any real following.

What is interesting is that she knows she has long, pregnant pauses which she thinks makes her program clearer. I disagree. I have found that those who pause for great lengths of time often have difficulty gathering their thoughts quickly. The problem is that most listeners do not have difficulty listening quickly.

Please understand that I am not talking about an individual who talks too fast. When this occurs, it is a good idea to give a little extra to the pause; however, waiting 5 or 6 seconds to respond to someone’s comments is not productive.

As one who understood my topic, she should have been moving immediately to the next point or to the next question. Instead, there was silence. Long periods of silence. In fact, her pauses were so long that listeners might have thought they had lost their connection!

Normal speeds in speaking range anywhere from 140 words to 180 words per minute. And, the majority of people are able to listen quite comfortably to someone speaking within those limits. A normal pause, however, lasts about a second. It is extremely brief. Our ears are trained to listen to these brief pauses but we are not willing to wait 5 or 6 seconds for a conversation to resume. Once, maybe, if the host has lost his/her script, for example. But not every single time a comment has ended.

I love the pause. It is effective and one of most important things you should do in speaking, whether you are standing at a lectern, sitting at a conference table, or just having a conversation with your friends, family, or colleagues. It also has many benefits, allowing you to take a supplemental breath, to regroup, to organize your thoughts, and/or to transition to a new topic or sub-topic. Your audience needs the pause as well, allowing them to categorize their own thoughts.

What you don’t want, however, is to pause too often or for too long. There is no doubt that a pregnant pause is effective once in a while. Just don’t let it go into labor!

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5 Misconceptions About Your Speaking Voice

Posted on April 30, 2012 by The Voice Lady

When it comes to image, most people believe that their visual image is the pièce de résistance. And, there is no doubt that it is very important both professionally and personally. Have you ever considered, however, the image that your voice projects?

Often we are so concerned with how we look, that we give no consideration to how we sound. While 55% of the image you project deals with your visual, 37% is relegated to your speaking voice. Without a doubt, there is much that can be done to improve your visual image. But are you aware that there is actually much that can be done to improve your vocal image as well?

Many people wrongly assume that there is nothing that can be done to change their speaking voice. In fact, the following 5 misconception are generally believed by most people.

1. The voice on my answering machine or voicemail is not how I sound.

  • Unfortunately, how you hear yourself on any form of recording equipment is exactly how everyone else recognizes your voice.

2. I sound like my same-sex parent and genetics determines how I sound.

  • Indeed, genetics plays a large part in determining the quality of your voice. Environment will also affect how you sound; but, how you place your voice when you speak is more important than either genetics or environment.

3. The only way I can increase my volume is by yelling or shouting.

  • The correct way to increase your volume is by means of projection. Yelling can be painful to your or vocal folds (cords) and throat. In addition, yelling can be painful to your listeners’ ears! Projection does neither. However, projecting your voice is only possible if you change your voice placement.

4. I was born soft-spoken and cannot change it.

  • No one is born soft-spoken. Everyone is born with the ability to speak in a normal volume level of sound. Being soft-spoken is a learned habit.

5. I’m stuck with the voice I’ve got.

  • Everyone has a better voice inside of them. When you learn to use your chest cavity, the largest of your 5 resonators to produce voiced sound, you will discover a speaking voice that is resonant, warm in tone, more mature in quality and probably deeper in pitch.

Imagine speaking with a voice that actually complements or even surpasses your visual image. Yes, you do have a better speaking voice inside of you and the right voice training can show you how to find it.

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Dynamic Public Speaking Means Never Letting Them ‘See You Sweat’

Posted on April 25, 2012 by The Voice Lady

Yes, I want you nervous for your upcoming speech or presentation because nervousness is good. I do not want your audience to see it however.

Great public speakers are nervous. As many times as they have spoken, as many times as they have delivered the same presentation over and over, their adrenaline is in high gear when they enter the stage.

One of the reasons for their nervousness is because they appreciate that public speaking is a live venue and, in that respect, is similar to actors performing on stage, musicians giving a concert, and athletes playing a sport. Whereas with film, one can easily edit the material or do the scene again, such is not the case in live performances, be it on a stage or in a hockey rink or on a football field.

The secret to how the professionals deal with their nervous jitters is that they take control of that wonderful rush of adrenaline and put it to good use. Yes, they may be nervous, agitated, invigorated or even scared, but their audience or their fans are not aware of it.

That is what I would want for you the next time you are presenting. Accept that fact that you will be nervous and learn how to take control of it.

While I am a strong advocate of knowing your material inside and out and addressing your audience just as if you were having a conversation, the one thing that is often overlooked by those who teach presentation skills is the single most important thing you can do to take hold of that adrenaline and run with it.

It is known as breathing, specifically, breathing with the support of your diaphragm. Taking in air – filling the lungs – is the one thing novice speakers often do not do and never think to do. And, it is the one thing the novice speakers often have little of. This is why breathlessness is such a big problem in public speaking.

Breathing with the support of your diaphragm is truly the best means of controlling your nervousness because it helps relax your body. For many standing at the lectern, a relaxed body is not happening. Instead the audience can see their discomfort as they stand there with knees wobbling, hands shaking, lips quivering, and perspiration lining their brow.

Shallow or lazy breathing, which is typical of 99% of the population, increases your stress because it does not allow for the elimination of the toxins in the blood. Deep, supported breathing, on the other hand, rids your body of those toxins which thereby decreases your stress. In fact, it is the first thing you are told to do if you are having a panic attack.

Learn to breathe correctly, do it during your presentation, and I guarantee that your audience will never ‘see you sweat.’

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You’ve Got One – A Richer, Deeper, More Mature-Sounding Speaking Voice

Posted on April 24, 2012 by The Voice Lady

Many people contact me because they have a voice that is too high-pitched, too soft, too loud, too nasal, too wimpy, too weak, too shrill, too childlike. In fact, the list of descriptive adjectives is much longer than that. What is fascinating about the speaking voice is that you may be part of the 99% of the population who are unaware that they have a better voice inside of them. It is known as your ‘true’ or ‘real’ voice and it is definitely better than the one you are presently using.

The difference in the 2 voices is due solely in the placement of the voice. When you speak, there are 5 resonators responsible for the vibration and power of voiced sound. These include the cavities of the chest, voice box, throat, nose and mouth.

If you have a whispery quality to your voice, then you are relying heavily on your voice box to power your sound. Over time, this can be very hard on your vocal folds (cords) and will most likely lead to a quiver and/or vocal abuse. On the other hand, if you have excessive nasality, you are pushing and amplifying your voice through your nose which can be most annoying for your listeners.

Each of your 5 resonators is vital in producing good quality. Most people, however, are not using their chest cavity when they speak. They are unaware of its power and its resonance. Those who are using it sound like Julia Ormond, George Clooney, Cher, Peter Coyote, Kevin Spacey, Diane Sawyer and, of course, James Earl Jones, to name a few.

By the way, not all actors are using their chest cavity, the largest of the 5 resonators. Don Johnson and Fran Drescher are typical of excessive nasality whereas Melanie Griffith sounds like a bimbo. What is missing in their voices is warmth. That is the one adjective that describes all voices in which the chest is the primary sounding board.

If you would like to discover your true voice, you will need to find the optimum range of your speaking voice, which is probably lower than that of your habitual range. Once you are breathing with the support of your diaphragm and speaking within your optimum range, you will feel the vibrations from your voice in your chest. That is one of the best ways you can tell that you are using your real voice.

Yes, you have a deeper, richer, more mature-sounding voice. It is merely a matter of discovering it and using it.

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Lack of Voice Training Sees One in Four Call Centre Workers Suffer

Posted on April 18, 2012 by The Voice Lady

This is a most timely article from CallCentreHelper.com. Finally people are starting to take notice!

One in four call centre agents suffers voice problems because managers are failing to properly protect their health, a leading health and safety body said today.

A new study, commissioned by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) and released today, on World Voice Day 2012, found that call handlers had suffered one or more of a range of ill-effects because of their work, including voice loss, sore throats and breathlessness.

Around one in 10 were diagnosed with a voice problem, while a tenth said their work was now suffering because of the stress placed on their vocal cords.

Of the call agents surveyed, 60 per cent reported having difficulty making themselves heard against background noise and 41 per cent said they had failed to be heard by the customer on the other end of the line. More than one in three call agents said that their voice was hoarse often or very often.

And researchers identified new starters, particularly female workers, as a high-risk group of call agents who are more likely to develop voice problems.

Experts at Ulster University surveyed nearly 600 call handlers from 14 call centres across the UK and Ireland, as part of this unique study. These included outbound customer services and sales services to the retail, finance, marketing, government, information technology and leisure sectors.

Dr Luise Vassie, executive director of policy at IOSH, said: “The results from the research are eye-opening.

“People who depend on their voices within their day-to-day role, such as actors and singers, often have training on how to control and protect their voice – call agents should be no different.

“Call centre managers and employees would be wise to heed the advice of this research and consider what benefits vocal training and a raised awareness of environmental issues would bring to their organisation.”

“By educating staff on voice-care issues, they become more aware of the risks they face and how they can be prevented – this can lead to reduced absence levels, a more efficient way of working, and, in the long run, business profitability.

You can find this article at www.callcentre.com

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Is Your Voice Telling on You?

Posted on April 13, 2012 by The Voice Lady

Having worked with the speaking voice for more than 25 years, I have heard them all. What does your voice say about you? Does it say you are weak or strong? Does it say that you are soft-spoken or too loud? Does it say that you speak in a monotone or does it exude color, life and emotion? Do you speed through your sentences at a 100 mph or dawdle at 50?

If you are curious as to the image your voice projects, record yourself during a normal conversation by means of a camcorder or some other type of recording equipment. Then play it back and listen to it.

Is your recorded voice what you expected or is it something you would rather not believe? If you found it to be embarrassing or shocking, you might consider working on that part of your image because you are judged not only by how you look and what you say, but how you sound when you say it.

If you sound like a child and are over 21, then you are giving the wrong impression; and, the possibility of furthering your career, for example, might not be quite as likely as it would be for the person who sounds mature – not too old, not too young – ageless. If you speak in a monotone, then you may be giving the impression that you are boring or that you are not interested in your topic.

Speaking at 100 mph means that others are missing some of your words. Speaking too slowly, on the other hand, is putting your audience to sleep. In addition, if you do speak slowly, it is much more likely that you will lose control of the conversation. Do you speak distinctly or are you a mumbler and difficult to understand?

I cannot tell you how many of my clients have heard themselves on a recording and did not realize how fast they spoke or how boring their delivery or how difficult they were to understand or how wimpy they sounded. The list goes on and on because we hear ourselves differently than how others recognize us. That is one of the reasons you may find your recorded voice appalling. You do not recognize it. Unfortunately, everyone else does!

If the sound of your voice is saying one thing and your words and physical being are saying something else, you might consider a course in voice improvement to better match the image that you project.

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Why Nervousness Should Be Your Best Friend in Public Speaking

Posted on April 13, 2012 by The Voice Lady

I love all the articles and advice on the internet today which deal with quelling nervousness, combating nervousness, eliminating nervousness and ending those nervous jitters. Unfortunately, most of them do not discuss the benefits of nervousness in public speaking and why it should be your best friend and not your worst nightmare!

Years ago, opera singer Maureen Forrester was asked if she ever wished she had been a stay-at-home mom and she replied, “Every time I walk onto the stage!” All great speakers, performers, and athletes are nervous. If you think they are not, then you are wrong. The difference, however, is that they use their nervousness to their benefit.

Nervousness is wonderful. That rush of adrenaline can take your presentation, your performance, or your game to unknown heights if you allow it to work for you and not against you.

I love nervousness. Without it, I wouldn’t want to speak because my nervousness gives me an edge that I don’t experience if I am overly confident which has happened only once during my long career as a professionally speaker. Many years ago, I was invited to speak at a women’s insurance meeting and during the meal, I had a glass of wine, just one glass. That was my mistake.

As one who drinks very little, I lost my edge during the presentation. Not only was I not nervous but I was also too confident, both characteristics which I attribute to that one glass of wine. Never again would I have a drink before speaking even when I gave a presentation at Labatt’s in London, Ontario a few weeks later. Not only did they invite me to have a beer, but they expected me to drink during my presentation! I declined because I knew I would not sound as professional.

I want my clients – I want all public speakers – nervous. Public speaking is a live venue. As well prepared as you may be and as good as your delivery skills may be, what happens during your presentation is always an unknown. If you are communicating with your audience, you can never predict your outcome. That is one of the blessings of dynamic public speaking. And, that, in itself, is a reason to be nervous.

Expect to be nervous. Learn how to control it, however, and allow it to work for you and not against you. It can take your speech or presentation to a level you never knew existed!

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What Breathing and Your Mind Can Do When Your Body Says NO

Posted on April 12, 2012 by The Voice Lady

Last September, I was not looking forward to an upcoming 2-day workshop I was holding in Chicago. I had gotten a cold/flu the previous Sunday, after attending my high school reunion the night before – and hopefully not infecting everyone who was there.

In any event, I so wanted to cancel the workshop because I didn’t know how I was going to get through it. 8 hours of talking for 2 consecutive days is rough on the speaking voice when you’re healthy, let alone when you’re sick. It is also the 1st time I have ever been sick for a 2-day workshop.

Things didn’t start well on Thursday when I found my seat on the plane and felt the cold air surrounding me. The flight attendant assured me it was ground air (what? It was 75 degrees outside!); and, that it would be better once in flight. How wrong she was as I sat there freezing for the next 2-1/2 hours. [Any improvements I had made during the week were lost because of that flight.] No, I didn’t feel well and didn’t want to be in Chicago; however, as they say, the show must go on and indeed it did.

I had a most supportive group who not only thanked me for not canceling but also made some very dynamic changes. All my groups vary in temperament and I was truly blessed by the support I received from this particular group.

I am also most grateful for the power of the mind because without it, I never would have survived. It is amazing what you can do when you set your mind to accomplish the tasks at hand, no matter what your body is saying. And, during those 2 days, between the hours of 9 am and 5 pm, my body worked just as if I were not sick. Admittedly, by 5 pm I was beat but I am so glad that I was able to give my best to the group even though I was ‘under the weather.’

The last avenue of thanks goes to my breathing. Without a doubt, my breathing allows me to alleviate much of the stress in my life that shallow or lazy breathing cannot do. In fact, shallow or upper chest breathing actually increases your stress; breathing with the support of your diaphragm, however decreases it.

If you want the best piece of advice that I can offer regarding voice training, presentation skills, or your life in general, it is to learn to breathe with the support of your diaphragm. It can change your life in ways you cannot imagine, both professionally and personally!

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If Voice Training Doesn’t Cover Volume and Projection, It Isn’t Voice Training

Posted on April 9, 2012 by The Voice Lady

The other day I received an email from a young man who told me that he was getting a sore throat by speaking loudly at the clubs and wondered if my training dealt with volume. I had to smile when he said that he had read several books on voice and none of them talked about how to increase or decrease the amount of sound you use. They also didn’t discuss projection which involves speaking in a bigger voice without shouting or yelling.

This is something I’ve known for years and I certainly wasn’t surprised by his remarks. Teaching others how to ‘improve’ the speaking voice and not covering volume is like going to a doctor who missed the course on anatomy.

The reason volume is so important is because there are many people who are soft-spoken. There are also a few who speak too loudly. Volume matters in communication today. If you expect to be heard, then you must speak at a normal volume level. On the other hand, if you speak too loudly, people will shy away from listening to you.

Projection is another component that is vital in good voice training. The ability to increase your volume without straining your throat and vocal folds (cords) means less likelihood of vocal abuse as well as less pain to your listeners’ ears.

When I teach voice, the 1st thing we work on is diaphragmatic breathing, the 2nd step is optimum pitch, and the 3rd is volume and projection. Whether you are working with me in person or by means of my video training, I explain that voice training is a progressive course. You must start at the beginning and go through each session before you can move on to the next.

It is important to understand that you cannot work on your volume until your voice is being powered by your chest cavity. And, you cannot power your voice from your chest cavity until you are breathing with the support of your diaphragm. That’s the only way to discover the voice you don’t know you have.

There are many who will show you how to improve the voice you already have – then there are a few of us who will show you how to find the voice you don’t know you have. If the program you are researching does not cover diaphragmatic breathing, optimum pitch, and volume, it isn’t voice training.

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Dynamic Public Speaker Grab The Audience with Their Opening and Never Let Go!

Posted on April 3, 2012 by The Voice Lady

I recently watched a brief video of a woman who was entering a public speaking contest and was looking for feedback from other speakers. Her ‘performance’ looked rehearsed, static and flat, lacking in enthusiasm and passion. And, my remarks were just that.

What this woman failed to recognize is that great public speakers grab their audience with their opening remarks, inspire, educate, and/or motivate them throughout the delivery and leave their listeners with a closing that calls them to action in some form.

There are so many people in the business of public speaking today and competition is fierce. The chances are also good that your topic is covered by many, many people worldwide. So how do you keep their attention on you and not on their iPads?

A great speech or presentation captivates the audience with its opening remarks. Whether you ask a question, tell a joke (pertinent to your topic), quote a famous writer or speaker, or tell a brief story, your goal is to involve your listeners by stirring an emotion within them. It could be laughter, sympathy, empathy, fear, awe, excitement – the list goes on and on.

With a strong opening, the audience will be more than eager to hear your subtopics in the development to follow. With a weak opening, however, you stand less chance of keeping their attention because you never had it to begin with.

Your development is where you build on your message. Adding stories and anecdotes will help keep their captivation because you are again drawing on their emotion, their conscience, and/or their enjoyment. As important as your opening is, your development is the heart of your message. Inspire, motivate and move them with your words, your voice, your facial expression and your body language. Do not believe that your words alone can draw the response. In fact, words alone, with no means of expressive delivery, will either put them to sleep or have them answering their email.

When you close, keep it short. You can repeat your most salient points or tell a brief story which encapsulates your message. In most cases, your goal is to motivate your audience by agreeing with you, buying from you, or changing their lives in some fashion. Remember, throughout your entire delivery, their wish is to be enlightened. So captivate at the beginning, answer their needs with your development and call them to action in your closing.

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