Sofia Majewski - Speak with Confidence in Your Professional Voice

Find your unique voice

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Speak with Confidence in Your Professional Voice

There is nothing more critical in getting you to where you want to be than the ability to think on your feet, choose the right words and speak with confidence.

As a Professional in your chosen industry, a lot of your time is spent talking to clients and prospective clients, face to face and by telephone.  Professionalism, friendliness and confidence have to be conveyed using the instrument of your voice.  Your voice is in fact a tool. It's a tool that can gain you business or lose you that next business deal.  Some things to keep in mind:

Your Tone of Voice
What does the tone of your voice sound like? Does it reflect confidence? Strength? Assurance?  Are you prepared sufficiently to be conducting the call?  Do you need, perhaps, to call the client back when you are prepared?  If you are warm and interested in what they are saying, you will sound warm and interested on the phone.  Your speaking on the phone reveals a lot about you to the listener. (Because they can’t SEE you they are more tuned in to your SOUND).

Voice Inflection
When speaking and thinking about the key points you want to emphasise, make sure the inflection of your voice does just that.  Inflection alone can change the meaning of a sentence.  Whatever you do, don’t sound uninterested or bored.  Your client needs assurance and needs to be confident in what you are saying.  Make sure your voice is clear and strong.

Delivery
Practise, practise, practise. The delivery of your message is really important.  Don't be afraid to rehearse the messages that you frequently give.  (For example, advice to clients and stakeholders).  Or even the frequent messages you convey with phone calls.  If the message is sensitive and important, practise it beforehand.  How does it sound to you?

Sound
What do you sound like? For example, when you record your voicemail message, what do others hear? A smile? Confidence? Authority?  Don't be afraid to record your voice as you are practising.   When you hear the recording of your voice, you hear exactly as others hear it. And this is, most often, a higher voice sound than you hear yourself.

Energy
Similar to tone, but different. The energy in your voice allows people to feel like they are in the room with you and that you are tuned in to what they are saying. One thing to watch is the speed at which you are speaking.  You can speak much faster than most people can keep up with. Especially if you are speaking about and using technical phrases – and they are not common to your clients. 

So, as you are speaking, pause, do diaphragm breathing; think about what you are going to say and fill it with the right energy for the moment.

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It’s good to be aware of the following principles:

1.    Prepare yourself for the speaking task – whether by phone, or face to face.

2.    Prepare your message and make notes, or summarise, the information you are conveying to clients.

3.    Listen to your client with as much focus as you can.  Your responses must be tailored to your client’s questions and not fixed entirely on your pre-determined message.

4.    Be aware of the environment in which you are speaking.   If it’s noisy or if it detracts from the message you are trying to convey, then make all the changes you can so that your message is able to be conveyed clearly.

5.    Be aware of, and consciously step into, your professional voice, to achieve your     professional objectives.

6.    Practise the 5 minute exercises for voice every day.  In the shower, and/ or in the car, practise the Kah, Hah, Gah, and the Mmmmmm and Nnnnnnnnnn which will develop and maintain Your Professional Voice.

Remember, it’s not about YOU – it’s nearly ALL about your Client.

Handy Hints when Speaking in Public

Thinking on your feet

This is an acquired skill.  Like so many skills it involves technique and practice.  A useful technique is to practise the “Elevator Speech”.  This is where you imagine that a very “influential” person has walked into the elevator and says to you.  “Hello” and what do you do?

(I would answer) “Hi, my name is Sofia and I’m a speaking coach.  I help speakers become better speakers.  And, I help my clients to think on their feet, choose the right words and speak with confidence.  I specialise in coaching executives in all their speaking roles.

This is just three dot points to memorise – but it’s three dot points that can be developed further – even into a full length speech, on another occasion than in the elevator, of course).

There are several techniques for answering impromptu questions.  For example, you can use “Past/Present/Future   or Options – 1, 2, or 3.  Or, global/national/local.

Another technique is to rephrase the question to make sure it’s understood.  Or, to say “Let’s think about this a little more”.  These are techniques to buy a bit of time in which to think of the appropriate response.

Dealing with a slip of the tongue, while speaking

OK – you’ve made a small error – you’ve said “transsexual” when you meant to say “transsectoral”.  It’s just an error.  Don’t try to speak while everyone is rolling on the floor laughing  and you are cringing with embarrassment – just wait until it’s quiet again – and simply say, something like, “all things are possible I suppose, but I meant to say “transsectoral”.

Or, “that’s a whole new slant, but what I meant was “transsectoral”.

Um, Ahs, and all other varieties of distractions

A very important technique here is to SLOW down your speaking pace.

And to have rehearsed out loud many times to become familiar with your content.

When you feel an Um coming on, simply PAUSE instead.  And, because long and deep breathing is import, take a relaxing deep breath with your pause.

(Sometimes speakers are not even aware of the number of Ums and Ahs they use –so in my session I use video and speakers can see for themselves any distracting habits they have).

Emphasise key words in your speech

Rehearse out loud.  Vary your pace, pitch and projection.

(If it’s a speech that you are going to read.  Rehearse it, of course.  But in this case you can “mark it up”.  16 pt font, double spaced, mark the phrases, highlight or bold for emphasis, etc.)

It’s really important in a speech that is being read, is to rehearse it such that you can still maintain eye contact with your audience.

Slow down at important phrases.  Go faster when reciting routine information.

Timing

It is essential to keep to time always.  If your audience knows that you have a 20 minutes slot and you are still speaking after 20 minutes, unless you are someone like Anthony Robbins, they’ll probably be looking at their watches.  The person speaking after you will probably be getting anxious too.  It’s professional and courteous to keep to time.

The best way to keep to time is to rehearse your speech out loud and time it.  (It’s a good idea to use the microwave timer).  Allowing a half minute or minute within the timeframe is also a good idea. 

Confidence

Confidence starts with being familiar with your content.  It rests with your “self talk” too.  Many athletes, for example, have a ritual around how they prepare for performance. 

Take the time to rehearse out loud.  Rehearse into a corner of a room at home.  It will act as a microphone and you will become familiar with the sound of your own voice.

This comes in handy when you begin your talk or presentation – you won’t get nervous when you start to speak and realise that you’re the only one speaking.  And, you’re the star of your show.

Practise diaphragm breathing.  Deep, long, slow breathing from the core of your body.  Not from the upper chest which gets tight when you take your breath.  Think of your voice as an instrument. 

Practise vocal exercises to develop and maintain your voice.

Technique and practice is the 90% - the perspiration!

The 10% is where you take control of the speaking space, hold your heart and your professional speaking voice in that most powerful of all platforms  – the space between you and your audience!

Go Low, Slow and Smile!  Then flick that switch to Vaudeville!



Find your unique voice

 

Three key elements in speaking to an audience:

PREPARE YOURSELF

PREPARE YOUR MESSAGE

PREPARE FOR YOUR SPEAKING SPACE

Two things people love to hear – laughter and the sound of their name!

1.    PREPARE YOURSELF

§  Find a  routine that you know relaxes you

§  Diaphragm Breathing relaxes your body and puts your voice in good shape.  The "production area" of your voice is in the core of your body – your diaphragm; and is the very basis of your speaking voice.

§  Confirm to yourself  (Self Talk) that you know the PURPOSE of your talk and you know the main facts.  Being familiar with your speech will negate any nerves.

§   You are going to do a fabulous job!

§  Believe in yourself

§  Be friends with your voice – do some yawns, hums, KA, GA ,HA , and deep breaths to release any tension in neck and shoulders

§  Grab that spotlight!   Enjoy and have fun!

2.    PREPARE YOUR MESSAGE

§  Who is your audience?

§  What do they know about the subject of your message?

§  What is the relationship between you and the people you are talking to?          

§  What’s in it for you?

§  What’s in it for them?

§  Connect with them in every way you know how – pose questions – have them answering  “yes or no” or at least nodding, wherever appropriate.  Once you have the audience’s attention – try not to let it go.

3.    PREPARE FOR YOUR SPEAKING SPACE (ENVIRONMENT)

§  Get a feel for your speaking space

§  Make sure all your technical equipment is working before you start

§  Avoid getting rushed or stressed into answering questions on the spot.  Maybe delay until a better time for you?  Better still, learn the art of answering questions

§  “Walk through” your performance which starts from when you rise from your chair to go to the speaking space.

§  Rehearse in the speaking space if possible

Two things people love to hear – laughter and the sound of their name!

I declare it's Spring!