Your voice \u2014 do you ever think about it? A fair guess is \u201cno.\u201d After all, you uttered your first words at an early age and the rest is history. Not so fast. Don\u2019t dismiss the impressions your voice makes and the power you can derive from capitalizing on it as a prized possession.<\/p>\n
In the classic movie Singin\u2019 in the Rain, Lina Lamont is a celebrated star of silent movies. But that era was coming to a close toward the end of the 1920\u2019s. \u201cTalkies,\u201d as early films were called, introduced sound. Gone were the title cards with text and in were actors\u2019 voices. When the cameras started rolling on The Dueling Cavalier and Lina Lamont recited her lines, she had an excruciatingly harsh, grating tone. This was not going to work. In fact, in a scene, when a group watching daily rushes of the new film hears Lina, they laugh hysterically.<\/p>\n
Granted, the movie exaggerates the situation. But, the basic premise raises a question of interest \u2014 is your voice an asset to your business career?<\/p>\n
\u201cVoices are important things for humans,\u201d says the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI)<\/a>, a branch of the National Institutes of Health. Why? \u201cThey are the medium through which we do a lot of communicating with the outside world: our ideas, of course, and also our emotions and our personality. The voice is the very emblem of the speaker, indelibly wove into the fabric of speech.\u201d<\/p>\n Your voice is the channel that holds the key to your authority\u2026or not.<\/p>\n A post on \u201cCredibility — Why Your Voice Matters\u201d<\/a> starts with a quote from the poet Maya Angelou<\/a>: \u201cWords mean more than what is set down on paper. It takes the human voice to infuse them with deeper meaning.\u201d The post then elaborates upon this notion. \u201cEnsuring your vocal quality matches your presence is key to establishing your credibility. A disconnect between the two can be perceived as inauthentic and false.\u201d<\/p>\n Let\u2019s define terms. Voice<\/a> is \u201cthe sound produced in a person\u2019s larynx and uttered through the mouth, as speech or song.\u201d The quality of a person\u2019s voice is a factor in the business world. What exactly does \u201cvoice quality\u201d<\/a> mean? \u201cIt is the characteristic auditory coloring of an individual\u2019s voice\u2026, derived from a variety of \u2026features and running continuously through the individual\u2019s speech. The distinctive tone of speech sounds produced by a particular person yields a particular voice.\u201d<\/p>\n Do you think you know the tone and quality of your voice? Think again. Here\u2019s why. When you speak<\/a>, \u201cyou\u2019re hearing a distorted version of your voice all the time.\u201d In other words, what you hear is not what others get. Since that\u2019s the case, how can you ascertain what others hear when you speak? The voice actor quoted here offers an easy solution. He demonstrates it on TikTok in a clip that has attracted 3.2 million views and counting.<\/p>\n Open your hands and hold them flat in front of you facing one another. Then place each one on the sides of your head from your ears down to your jawbone. Then speak. Listen carefully because \u201cthis is what you sound like to other people,\u201d he notes.<\/p>\n There\u2019s another way is to discover your real voice. Record it. Then play it back. Who\u2019s that speaking? You may not even recognize the voice as your own.<\/p>\n How about putting in a little work on your own to make the best of what you have? It\u2019s the path to a big payoff. Gilda Carle, Ph.D<\/a>., AKA Dr. Gilda, shows you the way. \u201cAs the adage goes\u201d she says, \u201cit is not so much what you say but how you say it. Each one of us has a unique vocal quality that we can project to define our power.\u201d Her latest book, Amplify Your Media Presence, Amplify Your Brand<\/a>, addresses this issue.<\/p>\n In the chapter on \u201cYour Voice of Choice,\u201d she notes how voice contributes to our self-identity and to how others perceive us. \u201cThe vocal impact we make on others consists of the rate at which we speak, our pitch, our rhythm, our volume, and our use of pauses. Our vocal tones account for 38% of the impression we make when we are face-to-face with a listener, and 78% of our impact when we are on the telephone or any audio device.\u201d<\/p>\n What\u2019s the key to improving how our voice comes across? Three words: proper breath control.<\/p>\n Deep breathing does wonders for our voice. Singers and athletes use this technique. Example: the R&B\/hip hop singer Usher used to work out hard on a treadmill<\/a> before tackling a difficult tune. Makes sense. It increases the intake of oxygen and leads to strengthened breath control. Dr. Gilda says, \u201cThe deeper we breathe in, the more force, or louder, we can project our voice.\u201d<\/p>\n How do we achieve this?<\/p>\n Go into your pandemic-related stash and put on a mask. Now speak through it; recite a passage of some kind. Talking through a mask improves the vocal sounds you make; it forces you to dig deeper and articulate using more than your lower throat. \u201cMask voice production opens your voice, improves its range, gives it warmth and richness, fills it with expression, and projects your vocal power,\u201d explains Dr. Gilda.<\/p>\n Most of us breathe through our chest rather than from our diaphragm. Changing this pattern to breathe via our midsection turbocharges our voice. Diaphragm breathing supplies a larger volume of air; it not only projects our voice but also imparts a pleasing tone. It takes effort to develop this capacity and seems unnatural at first. Here\u2019s how:<\/p>\n Place one hand on your chest and the other on your diaphragm.<\/p>\n Breathe in at a ratio of 7 to 1.<\/p>\n Inhale through your nose for 7 counts; hold your breath for 1 count.<\/p>\n Then exhale through your mouth for 7 counts, moving your diaphragm not chest.<\/p>\n Repeat, repeat, repeat.<\/p>\n Check you\u2019re doing this correctly. Place your hands on your abdomen with your fingers pointing together; as you inhale, push out against your hands with your lower ribs and abdomen; then, as you exhale, ensure the abdomen contracts.<\/p>\n Now, speak when you\u2019re breathing this way. Your stomach should move in smoothly and gradually. If your upper chest moves up and down, go back to the beginning and try again.<\/p>\n For an additional perspective, see \u201cHow Breathing Can Improve Your Voice.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n Is your pitch high or low? Inquiring minds intent on improving their voice should not focus on this aspect but rather on \u201cproper pitch.\u201d Proper pitch is the one that\u2019s just right for you. It\u2019s your own personal formula, the point where your vocal carrying power, smooth tone, and comfort come together. These vocal exercises point the way:<\/p>\n Raise your arms above your head.<\/p>\n Close your lips and say, \u201cUm, hum, one; um, hum two; um, hum three.\u201d Go to 10.<\/p>\n Ensure your pitch of the number is at the same level as your \u201cUm, hum\u201d<\/p>\n Check that your nose and lips are humming and resonating.<\/p>\n Got it? Your proper pitch is the sound of the \u201cUm, hum.\u201d Now work it! Use that pitch to say: \u201cGood morning,\u201d \u201cMy name is ______.\u201d Next, repeat these energy words: \u201cHello, \u201creally,\u201d \u201cbeautiful,\u201d \u201cright,\u201d \u201cready,\u201d \u201cno,\u201d \u201cgo,\u201d \u201cdo.\u201d Word of caution from Dr. Gilda: \u201cYou may feel dizzy at first after performing these exercises. This is a temporary condition caused by excessive oxygen intake. The dizziness will pass quickly.\u201d The reward? Imbuing your voice with strength and assertiveness.<\/p>\nThe Litmus Test<\/h4>\n
Optimizing Your Voice<\/h4>\n
Practice Speaking Wearing a Surgical Mask<\/h4>\n
Breathe from Your Diaphragm<\/h4>\n
Find and Use Your Proper Pitch<\/h4>\n
Other Tips<\/h4>\n