6 Secrets for a Good Speaking Voice

Some says it’s not what you say but how you say it.

This comes through in an intriguing way in a study Dr. Carol Kinsey Goman, Ph.D. has written about.

At Stanford University in 2002, a study was conducted where a professor made recordings of doctors and their patients. Half of the doctors had been brought to court for malpractice charges and half had not.

The professor played these recordings for her students and they could tell which doctors had been sued. But here’s the trick – she garbled the content so the students couldn’t hear the words but they could hear the tone.

For the doctors who had been sued, their voices were more dominant, hostile and has a less empathetic tone. The group who hasn’t been sued had a warmer tone.

Goman says listeners of a speaker may actually be assessing the speaker’s voice more than the words they hear. This automatic assessment can actually take the edge off bad news or the “joy” out of a positive message.

Here are Goman’s 6 secrets for a more effective speaking voice:

Take a Breath

Goman says relax your throat while looking straight ahead. Take a couple of deep “belly” breaths while you count to six to breath in and six to exhale. This helps you get focused.

Vary Your Voice

Remember Ben Stein’s voice in “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”? “Bueller?” “Bueller?” – monotone and the kids ignored it because it was boring. Goman says to make sure you regulate your volume and intonate, or change the range of your voice.

Focus

Have you ever spoken to someone on the phone whom you know is also checking their computer. You can tell, right? Place your gaze at one place. When you are shuffling papers around, checking your messages or wander your gaze around the room, it takes away from your concentration and that will come through in your voice.

Stand Up

I’ve seen this a lot with good sales people – they pace around their office while they’re talking to clients. It conveys confidence, according to Goman. It also gives your voice more strength and conviction.

Smile

It’s one of those sales training tips that always sound sort of “cheerleader-ish” but it works. Smile while you are talking – even if you’re on the phone. It shows through with better energy and enthusiasm in your voice. Goman says her husband, who is an actor and voiceover coach, tells her one coaching tip for voiceovers is to talk “with a smile in your voice.”

“Speech Convergence”

What? That’s using speech patterns and voice qualities of people you admire. It helps others understand your message better. By altering your speed, volume and tone, you help your audience hear and accepts your message more easily.

Read more about Goman at www.silentlanguageofleaders.com or follow her on twitter at @CGoman.

Marijo Tinlin is the editor in chief of Family First, one of the oldest family-oriented websites on the internet. She is also the author of the new book “How to Raise an American Patriot, Making it Okay for Our Kids to Be Proud to Be American” available at www.raisinganamericanpatriot.com.