The professional voice

Five key tips for success

Talking speaking with a group of business women

Talking speaking with a group of businesswomen: avoid breathing from your upper chest – breathe from your diaphragm, instead.

 

 

 

 

 

How you sound affects how your message is received. Taking control of the way you speak will help you to capture and keep attention and deliver that message with ease.

Breathe
It all begins with relaxation and breathing. Relax your shoulders, stand up straight and breathe from your diaphragm (around the base of your ribs), rather than from your chest.

Slow down
Nerves can speed you up and people do tend to speak too quickly in front of an audience. Breathing from your diaphragm and paying attention to your consonants can help you master your pacing. Consciously speaking more slowly both projects and inspires confidence.

Project
Everyone needs to hear you, and if they can’t, they won’t try to listen. Someone may shout ‘speak up!’ but most will give up and start staring at their phones. The first two points will help you project your voice without shouting, as will plenty of practice.

Pause
You don’t need to fill every second with sound, so edit out the distracting ums and ahs. A moment’s pause allows everyone, including you, to think.

Add variety
Changing your pace, tone and volume, supported by natural expressions and gestures, will help keep their interest.

Enjoy speaking well in public.