One of the greatest problems for the novice in public speaking is nervousness which often results in lack of air. While nervousness should be one of your greatest benefits when addressing an audience, breathlessness is not. The problem with the latter is that it increases your stress which in ... Views: 2575
Yes, man’s greatest fear is public speaking. The statistics tell us so. Instead of being part of those statistics, however, why not address those fears and learn how to put your nervousness to good use? Of course your first response is to question how that is possible. How do you take your ... Views: 2574
A problem that affects a surprising number of people is that of speaking too softly. If you are not able to be heard, then much is being lost in your life because your communication skills are not being recognized. In short, you are not effective – either professionally or personally. On the ... Views: 2573
If you want a New Year’s Resolution that can improve your life, both professionally and personally, you might consider voice training. I am sure that you are questioning how this is possible. What is fascinating about the techniques for discovering your ‘real’ voice is that those techniques ... Views: 2570
When I was teaching public speaking at the college level, I would fail any student who opened his or her presentation with the words, “Today I am going to talk about….” That is not a memorable opener and that is not the way to begin a speech or presentation.
If those words are typical of ... Views: 2555
Recently I held a 2-Day Voice & Presentation Skills Workshop in which one of the attendees, named Mohammad, was quite soft-spoken. He came to the seminar not just to work on his presentation skills, but more specifically to learn how to speak in a normal volume of sound. Notice I said ... Views: 2553
Speaking with expression, emotion, life, animation – whatever you call it – is one of your most important characteristics in delivering a dynamic presentation or speech. Just how colorful are you at the lectern?
If you would like to test your ‘color’ skills, record yourself reading the ... Views: 2551
There is no doubt that potential employers are looking for confidence in those whom they will hire. Seeing assuredness in how you handle yourself, how you dress, how you answer questions and even the way you sound says a lot to the person determining your future.
Do you handle yourself ... Views: 2550
Are you one who often reverts to whispering or speaks consistently in a soft voice instead of a normal volume of sound? I am not talking about the horse whisperer or the dog whisperer in this particular case, but the individual who speaks in a whisper even when his/her throat is not sore or ... Views: 2548
You know the problem; however, you don’t know how to solve it. You have chronic hoarseness or a pain in your throat. Possibly you are losing your voice by the end of the day. And, one of the qualifiers with the above problems is that you are not sick. What is happening and what can you do ... Views: 2546
That’s a leading question, isn’t it? With teleseminars there is definitely no visual and with webinars, there may be a picture of you, but more than likely, your listeners will be focusing on the visuals; i.e. slides, videos, or webpages as well as the sound of your speaking voice. And, the ... Views: 2541
Are you plagued by a voice that cracks, quivers or just isn’t there when you need it? Often occurring at the most inopportune times, all three problems are usually caused by stress on the vocal folds (cords).
Because your vocal folds are an organ, it is important to treat them well; and, ... Views: 2533
Whenever I hold a 2-day workshop, my clients do a ‘before & after’ video which is not only eye-opening but most definitely ear-opening as well. What is striking is the decrease in nasality no matter the background, the language or the culture of the individual. This change occurs because of a ... Views: 2528
Most people in business today are eager to learn and improve their business skills. They read articles; they listen to webinars; and, they attend bootcamps in the hopes of securing a better future for themselves.
Your competition is fierce. Other candidates are just as hungry for the job ... Views: 2526
Before the invention of equipment that could capture the sound of the speaking voice, people really had no way of telling how their voice sounded to others. When I first heard my voice, back in the '70's, I was horrified. What I could not understand was why my friends' voices on the tape sounded ... Views: 2526
Some people are terrified just by the thought of public speaking; other people are nervous right before and during the opening of their speech or presentation. Is there a difference between the two? Most definitely. Fear is debilitating while I find nervousness to be a blessing.
Webster’s ... Views: 2515
We tend to think that the creation of our speech or presentation and its delivery are the two most important considerations in public speaking. In truth, what you do before you even set pen to paper can have a tremendous effect on the outcome of your material.
Imagine that someone has gotten ... Views: 2514
When I first started my business, I had no idea the number of benefits that would result just by finding your ‘real’ voice. In fact, I never tire of hearing each and every new experience my clients tell me about.
How can this type of training improve your life? For one very basic and ... Views: 2511
With the high level of unemployment today, landing a job with any company is highly competitive. What is the possibility that your voice is not an asset but indeed a liability?
Before pursuing graduate studies, I worked for a company in the Philadelphia area in which we sold pre-arranged ... Views: 2507
Were you to give a presentation with no vocal variety, no facial expression and no body language, what do you think the reaction would be of your audience? Unless you are a comedian and that characteristic is part of your ‘shtick,’ do not expect your listeners to be much enamored by your lack ... Views: 2503
While you may think that voice training is just for politicians and actors, today, people in business are becoming much more aware of its value. Courses are offered by means of books, CDs, and even video, as well as workshops and private consultations.
Originally, recording the speaking ... Views: 2501
They say that man’s greatest fear is public speaking and that his second greatest fear is dying. According to Jerry Seinfield that means, "that most people at a funeral would rather be in the coffin than give the eulogy!"
To my knowledge no one has died from public speaking. Your hands may ... Views: 2499
So many articles, books, programs and CDs on presentation skills cover all aspects on the creation and delivery of your script. They may be discussing nervousness and how to conquer your fears, giving advice on dynamic public speaking, or talking about the value of your audience. Yet never ... Views: 2495
There is no doubt about it. You’ve got one: a richer, warmer speaking voice that, given the right tone, can be very, very hot. It is merely a matter of finding it.
Most speaking voices need work because most voices are higher in pitch than they should be. (Pitch deals with the highness ... Views: 2494
Are you experiencing chronic hoarseness or a persistent sore throat and you are not sick? If so, it is called vocal abuse and it will not go away on its own. In fact, it will more than likely get worse. There are some who suffer with these symptoms to the point that they even lose their voice ... Views: 2493
If you are interested in discovering your real speaking voice but do not want to learn the proper breathing techniques in order to do so, then do not read any further. Some people provide various exercises to improve the voice you presently have; and, there are a few others who will show you ... Views: 2488
During a recent 2-day workshop I was holding, one of the participants was a lovely woman by the name of Angie who had a big, nasal voice. When she got excited, not only did the pitch of her speaking voice rise, but her volume increased as well. Does that sound familiar?
While speaking too ... Views: 2482
Often you can tell someone is lacking in confidence just by their posture or how they walk. Sometimes you can hear it in their voice or see it in their facial expression. It is even possible to feel their insecurity in the way they shake your hand.
Were I to poll my clients, the ... Views: 2478
Gosh, that sounds depressing, doesn’t it? It needn’t be however. Yes, your voice ages just like the rest of your body does. The good news for the voice, however, is that you can not only eliminate the discomfort or hoarseness you are experiencing but you can also find your voice improving ... Views: 2478
For many people who speak in a normal volume of sound, straining to hear someone who speaks too softly is very frustrating. If you are soft-spoken and refuse to increase your volume to be heard comfortably (notice I didn’t say to speak loudly), then your message is not being heard. What ... Views: 2473
Have you ever been to a business meeting in which all in attendance had to stand and introduce themselves and you heard basically the same thing from each and every individual?
One of the worst things we do as a people is our personal introduction. While the names and the businesses will be ... Views: 2462
Did you know that your face and body talk? What are those two elements of your image saying about you when you deliver a speech or presentation? No matter how great your words, if your facial expression and body language are saying one thing but your voice is saying another, then you are ... Views: 2461
A problem for many novice public speakers is what to do with their hands during a presentation. Standing at a lectern giving a speech is the not the same as addressing an audience for 20, 30 or 40 minutes without benefit of a scripted text or lectern. The presentation is a different animal ... Views: 2458
The last thing some people think about when heading out the door for a job interview is confidence. Too often, there is such trepidation and fear, that their vision lacks this one thing the employer is looking for.
Why should someone hire you if you do not look and sound confident? Trust ... Views: 2454
While I cannot take credit for the title of this article, those words have haunted me since I discovered them a few months ago in which the writer was discussing animating your PowerPoint presentations, certainly good advice. I was fascinated by those words because movement in public speaking ... Views: 2444
The other day a woman phoned me and her volume was so loud that I had to move the phone away from my ear. My immediate opinion of the caller was that she was overbearing. Her loud volume was making a statement about her that may or may not have been true.
Another recent voice was by a ‘man’ ... Views: 2441
Speaking voices come in all shapes and sizes – literally. And, while you can attribute your vocal apparatus to genes, it is not just your genetic makeup that entirely determines the quality of your speaking voice. Your environment helps shape the sound of your voice as well.
If you study ... Views: 2438
If you are scheduled to give a speech or presentation, plain speaking should be your choice so as not to appear affected, superior, or on exhibit. Plain speaking, simply put, is the ability to speak and be easily understood by all in attendance. And, it goes hand-in-hand with the theory of ... Views: 2431
Have you ever considered opening your speech or presentation with a story? If done well, a true story is an attention-grabber. It can be humorous, suspenseful, thrilling, provocative, or dramatic, any of which immediately lends credibility to you as the speaker. Don't stop there, however: good ... Views: 2424
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 ... Views: 2417
While public speaking may be man’s greatest fear, often those who are scheduled to speak waste too much energy worrying about their talk and not enough energy in the planning, creating and delivery of their material. Whether you have been scheduled to speak at your next presentation skills ... Views: 2411
As a voice coach, the first thing I teach my clients is how to breathe with the support of the diaphragm. The reason is because you cannot discover your ‘real’ voice until you learn this simple technique.
When I discuss your ‘real’ voice, I am not talking about using different words or ... Views: 2406
Do you know what the purpose of public speaking is? Think about that for a moment. Too often, we are so consumed by our fear, our topic, or our delivery, that we often miss our reason for public speaking. You could be standing on a stage or in the front of a classroom or at the head of the ... Views: 2391
Many years ago when I first started my business, my husband commented on the ‘before & after’ video clips of my clients, remarking that he could understand everyone in the ‘after’ takes but none of the speakers in the ‘before’ takes. All the speakers were Canadians in which English was their ... Views: 2385
While many public speakers ideally want to speak to the masses and are looking for large audiences with which to market their knowledge, their opinions, or their products, there are definite rewards in addressing small groups.
And while your format will be the same, your delivery will be ... Views: 2365
So much time is wasted worrying about what could go wrong in public speaking that the tremendous opportunities provided by speaking to an audience are often overlooked. No matter what your reason for speaking – be it a requirement of your job; be it the chance to introduce your new business, ... Views: 2365
There is no doubt that excessive nasality can be most annoying for your listeners. Voices which possess excessive nasality sound like Fran Drescher, Don Johnson, and pro golfer, Jack Nicklaus. Of course, Fran Drescher has made a fortune on her sound which is akin to nails on a blackboard. If ... Views: 2361
One of the secrets for becoming a dynamic public speaker is to make eye contact with your audience. While there are some courses on presentation skills or public speaking that teach you to stare at an object on the wall in order to eliminate your nervousness, I couldn’t disagree more.
Forget ... Views: 2361
In today’s fast-paced business world, speaking in a soft-spoken voice is definitely not to your advantage: you need to be heard the 1st time you say it. While softer levels of volume may be culturally correct in some countries, here in the States, we tend to talk in a volume that is ... Views: 2357
I hear it time and time again. Women emailing me or phoning to ask me what they can do about their childlike voice, wondering if it is possible to change that sound. Absolutely.
You have a voice inside of you that sounds more mature and can even improve with age no matter how old you are. ... Views: 2357