Voice Power - Part I
by Gilda Bonanno

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A key component of non-verbal communications is your voice. Along with eye contact, gestures, movement and facial expression, your voice can communicate meaning and help your audience focus on your message.

Your voice has an incredible range and ability to convey meaning and emotion, yet most of us use only a small part of that range. Use the following guidelines to unleash the power of your voice so you can deliver your message effectively and connect to the audience:

Speak loudly enough. How loudly? Loudly enough that people can hear you without having to strain. How loudly depends on the room size, whether or not you are using a microphone, the acoustics, etc. Most people think that they are already speaking loudly enough. In fact, it's the opposite – most people need to speak louder.

I remember working with someone who had an inspiring speech, but he spoke too softly to be heard. He had grown up being told that he should never raise his voice and he had to work very hard to overcome that belief. Eventually, he realized that speaking louder was actually a service to the audience since it would make it easier for them to listen – and that it was not shouting.

If you think you speak loudly enough, record yourself or get someone you trust to sit in the back row, or the other end of the table, and give you an honest assessment of whether you speak loudly enough to be heard easily. Chances are, you don't.

Speak slowly enough. How slowly? Once again, it depends on many factors. What is the normal rate of speed for your audience? If you're speaking to native New Yorkers in New York, a much faster speed is allowed – and expected – than if you're speaking just about anywhere else in the world.

Likewise, if you're speaking in a language that is not native to the audience, or if you're presenting complex information that is new to them, you'll need to speak slower, so they have time to digest it.

Your voice has incredible power to communicate meaning and connect you to the audience. Learning to tap into that voice power will enable you to become a more effective communicator.

Copyright (c) 2008 Gilda Bonanno LLC All rights reserved
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Author's Bio
Gilda Bonanno is a trainer, speaker and coach, specializing in communication and leadership skills. She designs and delivers high-energy, client-focused training programs and workshops for corporate, academic and community clients, including Praxair, Bristol-Myers Squibb, The Hartford Insurance Company and Southern CT State University.

She is an Authorized Distributor of Inscape Publishing instruments, including DiSC® assessments, and is qualified in the administration of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator ®. She is also a certified Project Management Practitioner (PMP) and holds an Advanced Business Certificate in Management from the UConn Graduate School of Business.

Gilda is President of the Southern CT chapter of the American Society for Training and Development, a member of the National Speakers Association and active in Toastmasters International.