by Gilda Bonanno LLC www.gildabonanno.com
Someone in a recent presentation skills training program asked, “How do I project my voice and also, project authority?”
2.
Don’t
shout
Gilda Bonanno's blog www.gildabonanno.blogspot.com
Someone in a recent presentation skills training program asked, “How do I project my voice and also, project authority?”
It's a great question because your voice is an important part of your presentation and
should communicate that you’re confident, knowledgeable and engaging.
Here are 7 tips for projecting authority using your
voice:
1.
Breathe
In order to project your voice, breathing is crucial. The more that you can breathe deeply and support
the breath from your core and diaphragm -- as opposed to taking shallow breaths
from your chest - the more you can support your voice and project it.
2.
Don’t
shout
3.
Use a
microphone
Used correctly, a microphone make it easier for the
audience to hear and understand you, even while you are speaking at your normal
volume. Practice using it so you will be
comfortable with it in front of an audience.
4.
If
presenting over the phone, avoid the speakerphone
A speakerphone will pick up all the background noise in
the room and make it harder for the audience to hear you clearly. Use a headset or hand-held phone rather than
a speakerphone, if possible, so it can easily pick up your voice without you
having to shout.
5.
Stand
up
If you stand up, you automatically have better posture and
it’s easier to breathe fully and project your voice. You sound more awake and energized and are
less likely to slouch and cut off your air supply.
6.
Eliminate
“ums” and “ahs”
If you have a lot of “ums,” “ahs” and pause words, you don’t sound authoritative
– you sound tentative and unsure.
Eliminating those pause words will help you sound like you know what
you’re talking about.
7. Avoid “uptalk”
“Uptalk” is when you voice goes up at the end of every
sentence, so every sentence sounds like a question, as in, “Welcome? My name is
Beth? I will present the third-quarter results to you?” Updalk makes you sound
hesitant and timid. Be mindful of how
you speak, and particularly how you end sentences. End with your voice pitch staying the same or
going down slightly, so the audience knows you are making a statement rather
than asking a question.
If you follow these 7 tips, you will make able to use your
voice to project authority so your audience will listen to what you have to
say.
For more on this topic, see my blog post, Presentation Skills: Non-Verbals – Use Your Voice Effectively http://gildabonanno.blogspot.com/2013/04/presentation-skills-non-verbals-use.htmlGilda Bonanno's blog www.gildabonanno.blogspot.com