There are plenty of coaches who say speaking is about confidence; about mindset; about having the courage to speak up. I agree with them. But like any skill, in order to be fabulous at it, and in the case of speaking, making an impact, it is MORE than confidence and mindset. Developing skills and acquiring experience also play a big part.
Part of my message and part of the Superstar Communicator philosophy is to make it as easy as possible for your audience to engage with you. So speaking clearly, using vocabulary that is recognisable to them, are givens. But our voices, like our non-verbal communication has to align itself with what you are speaking about. If you are speaking about something powerful, but your voice sounds weak, nervous, lacking in confidence, your audience is going to be confused by your message as you are giving two contrasting messages to them.
Likewise, if you have something profound to add to a meeting or conversation, yet you deliver it in a way that you are asking a question, your audience is going to question your credibility. There are so many situations where we are giving confusing messages to our audiences.
I was therefore SO pleased when I came across the video below. The speaker is taking the mickey out of verbal mannerisms and demonstrates how weak they sound. I hope this video demonstrates the impact on a speaker when they fail to understand this.
So remember, when you have something to say, make sure those little vocal mannerisms don’t creep in. Ensure you are matching your passion for the topic or statement by having a strong vocal presence.
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