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Can A Happy Voice Be A Liability?
by Susan Berkley
VoiceCoach subscriber Tom Lee from Clifton, NJ writes: "I am a good natured person and tend to sound happy and positive when I speak. When I try to be assertive I do not have the "voice power" to make it stick. How can I sound more serious?"
Susan Berkley: I also have a happy sounding voice. I used to work in radio and was on the air the day singer and actor Ricky Nelson died in a tragic plane crash. I liked Ricky Nelson and thought I was genuinely sad to hear of his death. But after I announced the accident in a newscast a man called up and berated me for sounding too happy about the disaster.
Even though my warm and friendly sound has made me a lot of money in voice-overs, I have had a complex about my pleasant-sounding voice ever since. There are times when we need to sound like we mean business. Here are some voice mastery tips to help you do it:
1. Wipe that smile off your face
Our facial expression tends to reflect in our speaking voice. If you speak while smiling, your voice will tend to sound happier and warmer. For those times when you need to sound serious, try the opposite approach. Most parents are experts at giving their kids a look that says, "I mean business" and following it with a sharp command. Practice by looking in the mirror to find an expression that's neutral or even stern.
2. Use forceful hand gestures and body language
Take a tip from the politicians and try to look presidential. You must speak with your entire body to have a voice that has power and punch.
3. Tune in to your innner life
If you really mean it, your listener will get the message. Good communication rides on conviction and passion. We need to communicate holistically from the inside out or risk sounding (and looking) like a phony. In hindsight, I think I was uncomfortable about getting in touch with my feelings about Ricky Nelson's death. I unconsciously chose to hide behind a happy mask instead.
To really be an effective and powerful communicator you need to be willing to look long and hard at your inner feelings and intentions.If you are coming across as wishy-washy, it's because there is something incongruent between your intention (to communicate more powerfully) and what you are really feeling and thinking about the situation deep down inside. The voice is the mirror of the soul and it can provide us with important clues about a part of ourselves that may otherwise remain hidden from us and outside our awareness.
From The VoiceCoach Newsletter by Susan Berkley. Reprinted with permission. Copyright 2008 All Rights reserved.
Susan Berkley is the author of Speak To Influence:How To Unlock The Hidden Power of Your Voice. available from your favorite bookseller. For a free subscription to The Voice Coach Newsletter visit www.speaktoinfluence.com.
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