Are you comfortable with the way you talk? From the subjects we choose to the tone we take, every aspect of conversation can shape how others see us, so there’s always room for improvement.
A recent TED Talk by speech expert Julian Treasure reveals some wonderful, easy-to-overlook guidance on how to use your voice to the best of its ability. Here are some of our favourite tips:
The bad habits to avoid:
The good habits to embrace:
The tone you should take:
Be aware of your pitch. We vote for people with lower-register voices, because we believe this is a sign of authority.
But pitch isn’t everything; there’s also timbre, which is the warmth and smoothness of your voice. A quick Google search will give you plenty of breathing and posture exercises that will help you find a timbre that best sums up who you are.
Another important factor is the “sing-song” – the variation in tone that brings extra meaning to your words.
“People who speak all on one note are really quite hard to listen to”, says Treasure.
“Also, we have repetitive prosody now coming in, where every sentence ends as if it were a question when it’s actually not a question, it’s a statement?”
Know when to pay attention to your voice:
When excited, it can be natural to want to talk louder and faster – but this can backfire and be seen as antisocial, as it leaves little room for others in the conversation. It takes conscious correction to lower the pace and volume; a technique that can ultimately be far more engaging.
Not every moment needs to be filled with “um”s and “ah”s. Treasure reminds us that there’s nothing wrong with silence. “It can be very powerful”.
Ultimately, it’s about knowing when your voice needs a little extra attention and care, says Treasure. “It might be proposing marriage, asking for a raise, a wedding speech. Whatever it is, if it’s really important, you owe it to yourself to look at this toolbox and the engine that it’s going to work on, and no engine works well without being warmed up.”
How do you feel about your voice and conversation skills? Which of these habits – good and bad – resonate the most with you?