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Articles from Nancy Daniels | Selfgrowth.com
- ***Do You Suffer From Chronic Hoarseness or Persistent Sore Throats and You're Not Sick? - by Submitted on Jun 23, 2011 from Nancy DanielsSome people can yell or talk non-stop all day and never experience hoarseness or sore throats; others cannot. Your voice is as individual to you as are your fingerprints: no two are alike. They may be similar but not exact. In that sense, your vocal apparatus is also unique. For 60 years, ...
Views: 3442(3 votes) - ***Does Your Voice End BEFORE Your Sentence Does? - by Submitted on May 02, 2009 from Nancy DanielsThere is an interesting lesson we learned in our early elementary school years that has managed to cause more negative results than the positive results for which it was intended. In 2nd or 3rd grade, our teachers taught us to wait until we came to the end of the sentence before taking a ...
Views: 3438 - ***Humility in Public Speaking Triumphs Over Bravado - by Submitted on Sep 21, 2009 from Nancy DanielsWhile nervousness or fear of the speech or presentation is researched frequently on the internet, some of the finer points of one’s personality and delivery are often excluded. Once you are able to control your nervousness, it is important to recognize some of these finer points, the most ...
Views: 3426(4 votes) - ***Ladies, Plagued With a Voice That Is Irritating? - by Submitted on Oct 08, 2011 from Nancy DanielsWomen often wonder why men don’t listen. There are a number of possibilities, one of which could be that your voice is irritating. If you have a whiny, high-pitched, nasal sound that is reminiscent of a poorly-tuned violin, then the image you are projecting is definitely not one of warmth, ...
Views: 3424(3 votes) - ***Speaking in Monotone Is Not a Permanent Fixture! - by Submitted on Feb 09, 2011 from Nancy DanielsAre you plagued with a voice that is luckluster when you speak? Have others told you that you sound boring when you talk? The good news about speaking in monotone is that you can change it. As long you allow yourself to do so. That is where the difficulty lies. If you express little ...
Views: 3416 - ***Discover 7 Benefits of Voice Training That Have Nothing to Do with Your Voice - by Submitted on Dec 08, 2010 from Nancy DanielsFor all the years that I have been teaching people how to find their ‘real’ voice, what never ceases to amaze me are the numerous benefits that can result which have nothing to do with the speaking voice. The reason is simple; however, unless you are pointed in the right direction for finding ...
Views: 3415(2 votes) - ***How to Brand Yourself in Public Speaking - by Submitted on Mar 17, 2011 from Nancy DanielsIn today’s world of public speaking, standing out from the crowd is one of your first priorities in establishing a career at the podium. Your success depends on it. In order to market yourself and your own individuality, you must have something that sets you apart from all others. What is ...
Views: 3412(1 vote) - ***A Great Exercise for Eliminating Nasality - by Submitted on Jun 12, 2012 from Nancy DanielsThere is no question that excessive nasality, also known as hypernasality, can be like nails on a blackboard. Just listen to Fran Drescher for any great length of time and you may find that her whiny, nasal sound becomes quite annoying. There are 3 sounds in the English language which ...
Views: 3410(4 votes) - ***Public Speaking Is NOT About You - It Is About Them! - by Submitted on Jul 23, 2012 from Nancy DanielsYou’ve been invited to speak or perhaps your boss has ‘requested’ you speak. Whatever your reason for speaking, if you are like most people, nervousness takes over as you begin the process of anxiously awaiting the date. Hopefully, you create your speech or presentation well in advance and ...
Views: 3408(1 vote) - ***10 Reasons Why Voice Training Should Be Part of Your Professional Development - by Submitted on Apr 08, 2011 from Nancy DanielsWhether you are looking for a job, firmly ensconced in one, or in the midst of starting your own business, improving the sound of your voice is something you might consider especially if the sound of your voice on recording equipment leaves much to be desired. Yes, it is unfortunate that we do ...
Views: 3406(3 votes) - ***10 Benefits of Voice Training That Have Nothing to Do with Your Voice - by Submitted on Jul 06, 2011 from Nancy DanielsWhen I first started teaching voice improvement, I had no idea how many fantastic benefits would result just by discovering your ‘real’ voice. Yes, the voice that is powered by means of your chest cavity versus your throat and vocal folds (cords) is richer, warmer, deeper and mature-sounding. ...
Views: 3397(1 vote) - *** Excessive Nasality Is Like Nails on a Blackboard - by Submitted on Feb 14, 2011 from Nancy DanielsImagine nails on a blackboard and how it makes your skin crawl or how the hair on the back of your neck stands out. Now imagine a nasal voice similar to those who hail from Brooklyn or the Bronx. After hearing a sound like that for any great length of time, you might get the same reaction that ...
Views: 3394 - ***Valley GirlEse Doesn't Sell -- Professionalism Does - by Submitted on Sep 02, 2010 from Nancy DanielsRecently, I had the opportunity of working with a group of young professionals in a corporate workshop on voice and presentation skills. Comprising six women and one man, the group was under 30 years of age except for one woman who was 32. Smart, savvy, outgoing and most able, this group took ...
Views: 3377 - ***Being Overlooked in Business Because of Your Childlike Voice? - by Submitted on Jun 13, 2011 from Nancy DanielsA big complaint I hear from many women is that when they answer the phone, the caller asks to speak to their mother. Does that ever happen to you? There is no doubt that this is a problem for the woman who is looking to succeed in her career. Women have enough difficulty competing with ...
Views: 3369(2 votes) - ***One Voice Matters -- Yours! - by Submitted on Apr 10, 2009 from Nancy DanielsWhen it comes to improving your presentation skills, only one voice matters – yours! Have you ever considered what your speaking voice is saying about you? Have you ever listened to a recording of yourself? No, I mean listened, truly listened to how others recognize your voice. Most people ...
Views: 3363 - ***What Differentiates the After-Dinner Speech from All Others? - by Submitted on Feb 02, 2012 from Nancy DanielsWhile the after-dinner speech is as old as mankind, this type of oratory became most popular in England in the early 1900’s. Although its purpose was originally intended to be a light-hearted speech after the evening meal, the after-dinner speech today is often given after a business lunch or ...
Views: 3357 - ***Lose the Childlike Voice and Mannerisms and Watch What Happens to Your Career - by Submitted on Sep 25, 2012 from Nancy DanielsI am working with a woman who taught kindergarten for many years and is now in the process of changing her career. Susan would like to become a professional public speaker and consultant. Regarding her voice and presentation skills, her delivery is similar to that of a kindergarten teacher ...
Views: 3338 - ***Telling Someone They Need Voice Improvement Is Like Handing Them a Bottle of Scope! - by Submitted on Mar 10, 2010 from Nancy DanielsOne of the most frequent questions I hear is how do I tell my spouse, my friend, or a colleague that they need to improve their speaking voice? This really is a tough issue because if you approach someone advising them that their speaking voice needs some work, they are probably going to be ...
Views: 3337(5 votes) - ***Does Just the Thought of Public Speaking Make You Nauseous? - by Submitted on Oct 06, 2011 from Nancy DanielsWhile the majority of those who stand to address an audience are nervous, there is a small percentage of people whose nervousness is debilitating. And, their first reaction is often to feel sick to their stomach. If the thought of public speaking makes you want to ‘bring up lunch,’ there are a ...
Views: 3323(1 vote) - ***The 3 Step Approach for a Deeper Speaking Voice - by Submitted on May 06, 2011 from Nancy DanielsWhile there are various methods and suggestions as to how to make your voice deeper in pitch, the difference between those approaches and the one that is correct lies in the word make. As soon as you make your voice do something it shouldn’t, you are forcing it. When you force your voice into ...
Views: 3322 - *** 3 Steps to End Breathlessness in Public Speaking - by Submitted on Jul 09, 2009 from Nancy DanielsA common complaint for those giving presentations or speeches is that they run out of air and can never seem to catch up on their air supply. The biggest problem with breathlessness is that your body is starved for oxygen because you are not allowing yourself the luxury of breathing. Instead, ...
Views: 3319(3 votes) - ***How to Combat Those Nervous Jitters in Public Speaking - by Submitted on Jun 29, 2011 from Nancy DanielsWhile public speaking may seem like a war in which you are doing battle, it really isn’t. In truth, it is not that different from standing at your desk among a group of people and explaining to them how you successfully won a long sought-after account. It is not unlike sharing a story about a ...
Views: 3313(1 vote) - ***Is Your Accent Holding You Back? - by Submitted on Apr 14, 2009 from Nancy DanielsIn today’s multicultural world, many people are looking to eliminate their accent and I have a better suggestion. Instead of trying to get rid of your dialect or accent, why not clean it up? You may believe that your accent is keeping you from getting the job you want or moving ahead in ...
Views: 3313(1 vote) - ***The Most Important Thing You Can Do to Conquer Your Fear of Public Speaking - by Submitted on Jan 17, 2011 from Nancy DanielsWhile I believe there are 5 things you must do to gain control of your nervousness and actually put it to good use, the most important of those 5 is something many people do not do and never think to do. To make matters worse, the only time many speakers are aware of it is when they have ...
Views: 3303(2 votes) - ***3 Reasons Why Breathlessness Is Such a Problem in Public Speaking - by Submitted on May 12, 2014 from Nancy DanielsOne of the reasons people contact me is because of lack of air at the podium, in the webinar, or in a sales presentation. So I have a question for you. Do you ever experience breathlessness when in conversation with family, friends or colleagues? More than likely, your answer is No unless ...
Views: 3297 - ***Why Nervousness Is Your Best Friend in Public Speaking and Even the Job Interview - by Submitted on Jan 28, 2012 from Nancy DanielsI love all the articles and advice on the internet today which deal with quelling nervousness, combating nervousness, eliminating nervousness and ending those nervous jitters. Unfortunately, most of them do not discuss the benefits of nervousness in public speaking or in the job interview and ...
Views: 3276(6 votes) - ***Your Individuality Is One of Your Greatest Strengths in Public Speaking - by Submitted on Feb 07, 2011 from Nancy DanielsWhen clients tell me they want to be like Anthony Robbins or Zig Ziglar, my first question is why? Yes, I understand that they may want to be as famous or as rich or as talented, but why would they want to imitate either one of them? While your audience would probably love to see Robbins ...
Views: 3271(4 votes) - ***How to Address an All-Male Audience - by Submitted on Dec 15, 2010 from Nancy DanielsWhile it is definitely easier to speak to female audiences, you can have as much success with male audiences if you understand the differences between the two. In addition, knowing the makeup of the particular male audience you are addressing will be to your advantage. If the group to whom ...
Views: 3264 - ***In Public Speaking, What Does Your Visual Image Say about Your? - by Submitted on Nov 19, 2009 from Nancy DanielsOne of the best pieces of advice I give to my clients when teaching presentation skills is to always be prepared for the unexpected and that goes for your clothing as well as your visual image. Without a doubt, what you are saying and how you are saying are the most important aspects of your ...
Views: 3263(5 votes) - ***Your Accent Is Not Holding You Back -- Your Diction Is! - by Submitted on Mar 04, 2011 from Nancy DanielsUnless you are planning to become an actor, I see no reason to try to get rid of your accent as long as you speak clearly. This is a prerequisite for success. It does not matter where you live or what language is your mother tongue. Along with your education and experience, your ...
Views: 3256 - ***The 3 Causes of Breathlessness in Public Speaking & How to Cure It - by Submitted on Apr 01, 2011 from Nancy DanielsOne of the most common complaints I hear from clients is that they run out of air at the lectern. If this is a problem for you, let me ask you a question. Do you experience breathlessness in normal conversation? Your answer is probably No. If you do not run out of air when you are speaking ...
Views: 3245(1 vote) - ***If Your Voice Is Nasal, You Do Not Sound Professional - by Submitted on Mar 25, 2011 from Nancy DanielsGetting a job is not easy with today’s high rate of unemployment. It is certainly to your advantage to not only have the right education and experience but also the best presentation skills as well. When you think about the image you project, what does your voice say about you? In order to ...
Views: 3244(1 vote) - ***Does Your Body Language Convey Confidence, Diffidence or Indifference? - by Submitted on May 09, 2009 from Nancy DanielsWhen you are delivering a presentation, do you know that your body is speaking as well as your voice? Watch all great presenters and you will see that they use their bodies to express their feelings, their thoughts, and, most importantly, their confidence. If you walk to the podium with ...
Views: 3232 - ***A New Voice for 2010 Could Be Your Best New Year's Resolution - by Submitted on Jan 10, 2010 from Nancy DanielsWith the start of the New Year and the resolutions we vow to keep, there is one change that can improve your life – both professionally and personally – simply by discovering your ‘real’ voice. Easy to accomplish and guaranteed to get better with age, your ‘real’ voice is deeper in pitch, ...
Views: 3229(3 votes) - ***What Stress Does to Your Speaking Voice - by Submitted on May 01, 2011 from Nancy DanielsIf you are plagued by a great deal of stress on a daily basis, do you know what it is doing to your speaking voice? You are probably aware that it is affecting your sleep, your diet, your mental health, your physical health and your overall well-being. But what do you think it is doing to your ...
Views: 3227 - ***Your Soft-Spoken Voice Could Be Jeopardizing Your Career! - by Submitted on Feb 16, 2011 from Nancy DanielsIf others continually ask you to repeat yourself, what do you think that says about you? If you are striving to achieve success in your career, do you think your soft-spoken voice might be jeopardizing your goals? Have you ever considered that your lack of volume is possibly what could be ...
Views: 3219 - ***What Is the Image You Are Projecting If You Speak Too Loudly? - by Submitted on Feb 12, 2010 from Nancy DanielsWhile there is no doubt that a loud voice can be most painful to your listeners’ ears, have you ever considered how your loud voice affects the image that you project? We are all concerned about image. Look at the number of articles and books written today on image and what it means for your ...
Views: 3217(4 votes) - ***If You Are Looking for a Way to Improve Your Image, Do Not Forget Your Voice - by Submitted on Apr 22, 2011 from Nancy DanielsYou have probably heard the statistics: when you meet someone in a face-to-face situation, 37% of the image you project is attributed to your speaking voice; 55% of your image is the visual and a mere 8% your content. Whether those percentages are true is not the issue. The issue is whether ...
Views: 3215 - ***Preparation Is the Key in Public Speaking - by Submitted on Apr 01, 2010 from Nancy DanielsI cannot tell you how many of my clients have admitted to me that they do not prepare for their presentations. When I hear that I am always stunned. If you know in advance that you are to speak to a group of people for whatever reason, how can you not prepare in advance? This is a no-brainer ...
Views: 3211(8 votes) - ***Want to Sound As Good As You Look? - by Submitted on Jun 23, 2011 from Nancy DanielsWhen it comes to image, everyone is concerned about how they look, how they project themselves, what they say and what they wear. Yet few are aware that the sound of their speaking voice accounts for a large part of that image. So, my question to you is, do you like hearing your voice on your ...
Views: 3203(3 votes) - ***The 2 Things You Must Do to Be Heard in the Club Scene and Not Lose Your Voice in the Process! - by Submitted on Nov 20, 2009 from Nancy DanielsA surprising number of young men email me regarding the difficulty they are having being heard at the club scene. What is happening is that they are yelling and are ending up with sore throats. Is there a way to solve this problem aside from not speaking? The answer lies in learning how ...
Views: 3196(6 votes) - ***Plagued By Tension in Your Shoulder and Neck Regions? - by Submitted on Jan 17, 2011 from Nancy DanielsIf your answer is ‘yes’ to that question, then the chances are good that you are female and that you are juggling family, career and everything else that is being thrown at you. At least 95% of the women with whom I work complain of tension in their shoulder and neck regions on a daily basis. ...
Views: 3194(3 votes) - ***What Your Breathing and Your Mind Can Do When Your Body Says NO - by Submitted on Oct 06, 2011 from Nancy DanielsLast week I was not looking forward to my upcoming 2-day workshop in Chicago. I had gotten a cold/flu the previous Sunday, after attending my high school reunion the night before – and hopefully not infecting everyone who was there. In any event, I so wanted to cancel the workshop because ...
Views: 3192(1 vote) - ***If Only One Voice Matters, What Is Yours Saying? - by Submitted on Jul 08, 2010 from Nancy DanielsWhen I was in graduate school studying music composition, my singing professor told me that the pitch of my speaking voice was too high and proceeded to show me my ‘real’ voice. Deeper in pitch, warm and resonant, my ‘real’ voice no longer exhibited whiny, young-sounding qualities. At the ...
Views: 3189 - ***The Value Of The Anecdote - by Submitted on Oct 24, 2008 from Nancy DanielsIn public speaking, the anecdotes you include in your presentation can say a lot about you as the speaker. Simply put, the anecdote is a very brief retelling of a true account which can be humorous or interesting, but more importantly, is relevant to your topic. The value of the anecdote is ...
Views: 3178 - ***Ladies, Is Your Voice an Asset or a Liability for Your Career? - by Submitted on Jan 22, 2011 from Nancy DanielsIn Shakespeare’s King Lear, Lear is carrying the dead Cordelia and says, “her voice was ever soft, gentle and low, an excellent thing in woman.” Those words epitomized the image of how a woman handled herself in society and is in direct contrast to the loud, outspoken and sharp-tongued Kate, ...
Views: 3173(1 vote) - ***How Voice Training Can Aid in Accent Reductions - by Submitted on Jan 08, 2010 from Nancy DanielsAs a voice specialist, I have known for many years that a good voice improvement course can be an excellent means of accent reduction. Yesterday, I received an email from a Taiwanese man studying in Boston. His 1st language is Mandarin Chinese; and, he has been enrolled in an accent reduction ...
Views: 3160(1 vote) - ***Hearing Only Half the Sentence Is Not Quite As Good As Hearing the Whole Thing! - by Submitted on Nov 14, 2011 from Nancy DanielsFor those of you refuse to interrupt your sentences to breathe, you have a mass of listeners who are frustrated because they do not catch the 2nd half of your sentences. Do you know why this is? I’ll give you a clue. It’s got something to do with oxygen. Without air, there is no voice. ...
Views: 3157(2 votes) - ***How To Make A 10-Minute Presentation When You Need 40 to Do the Job - by Submitted on Oct 31, 2008 from Nancy DanielsOne of the best courses I had in college was an English class on the 18th Century Novel. My professor assigned one book per week and would ask one question per book for which we were allowed to answer on only one typewritten, double-spaced page. The problem was that the question asked could be ...
Views: 3146 - ***Is Your Elevator Speech Ready? - by Submitted on Apr 05, 2011 from Nancy DanielsDo you know what an elevator speech is? An elevator speech is an introduction about your business that you can encapsulate in 30 seconds or less. The idea for this type of speech is based on the average length of time one spends in an elevator. The value of the elevator speech is not just ...
Views: 3135(2 votes)