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Browse published articles attributed to Nancy Daniels, with full-archive search.
One of the secrets of dynamic presentation skills is the ability to connect with your audience. In that sense, the idea is to make each person think you are talking directly to him/her. How is this possible if you have an audience of 50, 150 or 500 people? There are several things you can do to achieve the connection.
The other day I heard a speaker who was very dynamic in his delivery except in one respect. He paused too often and for too long. Without a doubt, pausing is one of the most important characteristics of good public speaking: pausing that is excessive or predictable is not. The beauty of the ...
What many people may not understand about vocal abuse is that changing only one aspect of your vocal delivery will stop vocal abuse in its tracks. Done. Over. Finished. It is truly amazing when you realize that, aside from abuse which may be caused by certain prescriptive medications, chronic hoarseness, persistent sore throats and even loss of voice can be eliminated simply by changing where you place your voice.
Yes, we are a people very conce ed with the image we project. We exercise on a regular basis; we are more aware of the foods we are eating; we try to get a good night’s sleep. As women, we want to look good; and, as we age, we know it takes more work. Our clothing is of the latest fashion; we moisturize and wear makeup; and, our hair must make a statement as well.
Recently I was working with one of my clients, describing how to add more color to her voice. Color is the emotion, the life, the animation one expresses in speaking. Her response to me was, “You want me to speak with more energy.” While I certainly want speakers to have an energetic delivery, I had never associated the idea of the expressing of emotion when talking as speaking with more energy. For Portia, this was the answer and it may be the answer for you as well.
In an article I wrote about the value of diaphragmatic breathing in public speaking, what I did not discuss was how this type of breathing is what you must do in order to find your ‘real’ speaking voice. And that ‘real’ voice is deeper in pitch, warmer in quality and resonant in sound.
It fascinates me how many people are seeking help in public speaking and presentation skills yet how few realize that their speaking voice is the vehicle for their message. Voice training is not just for actors and politicians. It is something you should strongly consider if you are looking to get on the public speaking circuit.
What I have found with the various groups I have addressed through the years, whether it is a business versus an organization or a club, is that the there are two groups of people who are very good at listening. Their job or the purpose of their organization almost guarantees that they have strong listening skills. By and large, I have found the two best audiences to be Toastmasters and teachers, both of whom can be easily explained. 1.Teachers enjoy teaching and they also enjoy learning. They pay attention and always ask questions afterwards.
The answer is maybe. As an example, let's say that you are soft-spoken. If you are asked to repeat yourself a lot, others may think you lack confidence. This is just one description which comes to mind when I hear someone who doesn't speak at a normal volume level in conversation. However, I have met many soft-spoken people who are confident. - The real question is what impression do others have of you because of how you sound?
They say that variety is the spice of life and the same holds true for the voice which has color, those various and vivid effects in speech which give life to the voice. Good pacing, pause, force, duration, inflection, variety of pitch and your attitude characterize a truly dynamic speaking voice. Take the statement, He likes me, and by stressing a different word each time you say it, you will have three different meanings. He likes me. (He of all the others) He likes me. (He doesn’t dislike me) He likes me. (Me from all the others)
Speaking too quickly is a problem not just for those of us who hail from one of the Mid-Atlantic States, it is a problem as well for many whose 1st language is not English. One of the fastest talkers I’ve encountered in the thousands with whom I have worked was a man from Portugal. But India and some of the Asian countries can also produce speed demons. Learning how to control your speed – notice I didn’t say speak slowly – should be your goal if you are being asked to repeat yourself a lot or your listeners’ eyes glaze over as they try to keep up with you.
With the world becoming a huge melting pot, we are hearing accents wherever we go and whatever we listen to. This article is not about getting rid of your accent. Accents are part of what makes you, you. I would never advocate trying to eliminate it. The only problem with an accent or even a dialect is when your speech is unintelligible.
The number of adult voices I hear which sound like teenagers, preteens, or younger still is astounding. Add the familiar Valley Girl sound to the picture and you have an image which does not project maturity. I am not talking about sounding old. I am talking about a voice which you would call ageless.
If you think your presentation skills are not as important as your education and aptitude, consider this one point: you get your 1st interview because of your education and ability. You get your 2nd interview, however, because of your presentation skills. Employers look at resumes and decide whether they will invite you to the 1st interview depending on what they learn from your resume. Once you’ve met them for the initial session, they must then decide if you warrant another interview. Do not think your education is the deciding factor at this point? It is not.
In teaching public speaking, I find that many of my clients, as well as my students, stand at the lecte or on the podium and try to be someone or something they are not. The result is a forced delivery that does not sound natural. The best in the business – and not necessarily the most ...
You’ve been invited or requested to speak and while your immediate reaction may be debilitating fear, at some point, you begin to focus on your material and/or your delivery. My question to you is what is goal? Are you aware that unless you know your audience, your goal cannot be fully recognized? - Too often we are so conce ed about what we are going to say and how we are going to say it that we neglect our reason for speaking.
When you increase your volume, does your throat hurt? If you root for your favorite sports team, is your voice hoarse the next day? Perhaps you have no voice by the next day. All three of these situations are known as vocal abuse. If any of these scenarios sound familiar, then you are not increasing your volume correctly.
Color refers to the life, the emotion, the animation you express in speaking. Whether it is for the purposes of public speaking, a sales presentation or just in normal conversation, those who speak with color are more dynamic than those who do not. In fact, those who do not are called boring. When it comes to public speaking, there is no doubt that one of the best ways to lose your audience’s attention is to: 1. stand perfectly still with nary a muscle moving, 2. speak in a monotone, and 3. stare at something on the back wall.
Unless you are scheduled to speak at 7 in the morning, I would suggest not warming up the speaking voice. Since you use your speaking voice throughout your day, my question is ‘What is there to warm up?’ The speaking voice is not like the singing voice where you will be using several octaves, possibly singing very high or very low in pitch. In that sense, warming up the singing voice is a must.
Of all the various types of speeches and presentations we hear, that which stirs the most emotion, that which expresses the most passion, is the commemorative speech. For the sole purpose of paying tribute, the commemorative speech is dedicated to people, places, institutions, or ideas.
Have you ever stood in line waiting for service? Stupid question, right? Have you ever used that time to introduce yourself, your product or your services to the individual in front of you, in back of you, or along side of you? If not, then you are missing a golden opportunity for potential ...
Too often, novice speakers do not appreciate or make use of the pause because they are too intent on getting their speech or presentation over with as quickly as possible. The result for the audience is a barrage of constant verbiage which is exhausting for both the listeners and the speaker. Handled correctly, the pause is exactly the same in public speaking as it is in normal conversation. Everyone (or most everyone) pauses in conversation. We pause to breathe. We pause to gather our thoughts. Some of us even pause for effect.
Does your voice ‘shake, rattle and roll’ when you stand to introduce yourself or address an audience at the lecte or the boardroom table? When I started my voice improvement business back in 1989, I joined the local chamber of commerce and attended a new members’ orientation. The room was ...
There is a big difference between moving on stage and pacing; and, I am a huge advocate of the former. The latter, however, is something you must stop if you want your audience to pay attention to your words.
While 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 an unnatural, lower pitch, you begin the process of damage to your vocal folds (cords) and throat, also known as vocal abuse.
Some years ago, Barbara Walters interviewed Kathleen Turner, commenting on Turner’s “low, wonderful voice.” The actress responded that she could not understand how a woman could spend thousands of dollars on her clothing, hair, and makeup and not spend some of that money on her voice, as she imitated a whiny, nasal sound in the process.
When it comes to the speaking voice, tone deals with the expression of a mood or emotion. In relationship to your delivery, your tone can have a surprising influence on how your topic or subject is perceived. Were you to give a motivational speech, your tone would be different than if you were speaking to a master’s level class on horticulture.
One of the best tools for improving your presentation skills is to video-record yourself as a means of practice. While you may think this is a bit extreme, it really isn’t: you will learn so much by watching yourself on video. A lot of people are recorded during their presentation, but ...
When you have a job at hand, is your goal to do it perfectly or to the best of your ability? Be honest with yourself in answering that question because, in public speaking, it could mean the difference between a dynamic presentation and one that is so-so.
Do you ever think about smiling when addressing an audience? If not, you should. Did you know that it takes 43 muscles to frown but only 17 to smile? Therefore, when you consider energy consumption, it is much wiser to smile than it is to show fear no matter how bad your nervousness. In addition, smiling is better for your health both physically and emotionally. One of your goals in public speaking is to build a relationship with those in attendance and the chances of that happening are much greater with a smile than a face displaying lack of interest, scorn, or boredom.
While my last article dealt with the causes and cure for vocal abuse, I wanted to take this opportunity to discuss the reason you must end this abuse as soon as possible. Simply put: where would you be without a voice? Whether you are suffering from discomfort, pain, or hoarseness to either ...
A problem you may have in public speaking is how to move effectively and what to do with your hands. There are no absolutes in being expressive in your delivery aside from exhibiting no expression, the latter of which is boring and most certainly the fastest way to put your audience to sleep.
While visual aids can have a tremendous impact on your delivery, the danger in their use lies in placing your entire script on PowerPoint, a slide presentation or even a white board. What is fascinating about the overuse of this feature is that I have seen it not only with amateur speakers but ...
Have you ever considered what your body is saying when you are addressing an audience – even just talking in your living room or sitting at the kitchen table? Referred to as body language, non-verbal communication is expressed by the posture of your body, your gestures and even your face. The questio I would ask you is what your body language expresses when you speak? Does it match the emotion you are feeling? Or does it say something different? It is also possible that your body language is expressing no emotion, as well as your facial expression and your voice.
When you give a speech or presentation, do you include stories or anecdotes in your material? If not, you should. Anecdotes and stories are not only interesting for your audience but they also lend credibility to you as a speaker; and, one of your goals as a speaker is to establish this reliability. Your audience needs to be able to trust in your worthiness to speak on a particular topic.
Does this sound familiar? You hear a recording of your voice and you cringe? Perhaps you are embarrassed. Well, you are not alone. Most people do not recognize what they hear on the recording because it does not sound like the voice they hear in their head. Unfortunately, the voice on the recording equipment is exactly how you sound to everyone else.
I had a wonderful experience recently as the proud parent of an officer in training in the United States Army. 137 young men and women were given their branching orders. They walked onto the stage alone, faced the audience and said “I’m Intermediate Officer Candidate,” followed by their last name and then announced their orders which included infantry, chemical, military police, engineer, military intelligence, etc.
I sometimes voice my opinion on a forum that deals with public speaking issues and it never fails to amaze me how few understand that the untrained speaking voice can be an absolute liability. When you are trying to deliver a presentation and are unable to control your speed, your breathing, your quiver, and/or the rise in the pitch of your voice, then your nervousness is in control and not you.
Excessive nasality or too much nose in speaking definitely has a negative impact on your listeners. A whiny voice can be shrill and is much akin to nails on a blackboard. The good news is that you can eliminate the excess nasal sounds in your voice if you practice and retrain your ‘inner ear’ to hear the difference.
If a persistent sore throat or chronic hoarseness is something you are experiencing, your 1st step is to find out the cause. If left unattended, it will likely get worse and possibly result in permanent damage to your speaking voice. What I am talking about is known as vocal abuse and it is becoming more and more common in today’s hectic and ‘loud’ world.
One of the most remarkable aspects of color – the life, the animation, the emotion you express in speaking – is that there is no right or wrong. Certainly your attitude can affect your color, which I discussed in my last article, but the true beauty of speaking with expression is that it is as individual to you as are your fingerprints. No two people will give the same presentation exactly the same way; no two people will deliver a speech exactly the same way.
There is only one problem with being soft-spoken. It is that you are constantly being asked to repeat yourself. And, if it happens often enough, your listeners will stop listening or interrupt you and take over the conversation. Yes, your partner may not seem to be listening but have you ever considered that he or she cannot hear you? Or perhaps you never have a chance at work to finish your sentence because someone else takes over the conversation?
There is much debate as to the idea of thanking your audience. Some suggest never doing it while others recommend it be done as your parting words. There are even those who prefer that you thank your audience twice, both in your introduction and in your closing.
When I first started my business some years ago, I was told that, “insurance people think they’re perfect but realtors know it.” While this was an interesting tidbit I stored away for future reference, I have found that audiences vary far beyond those in the insurance or real estate business. The one commonality I have seen is that, in general, women make a better audience than men. There are a few answers for this that all have to do with the fact that the female sex is still not the same as the male sex even if college courses today try to tell us differently.
When I first heard the phrase, ‘imagine your audience is sitting in their underwear,' I thought the speech coaches who suggested this were kidding. But they’re not. They are serious. They believe that by focusing on this visualization, you will eliminate your nervousness. The last thing which is going to make me feel confident is addressing a group of people who are sitting in their undies! I don't want to focus on my audience in this stage of undress – I want to focus on the message I am presenting.
One of the most common complaints I hear from my clients is that they run out of air in public speaking. And, not surprisingly, breathlessness at the lecte often goes hand in hand with nervousness. Let’s look at the picture in its entirety. Nervousness does not cause breathlessness. It ...
I recently worked with a woman who spoke at 100 mph and seldom paused to take a breath – even in normal conversation. Most people, yes, the majority of the population, pause while talking to friends, family, colleagues, acquaintances and even the clerk in the grocery store. Unfortunately, the one time the pause is often missing is when addressing an audience. The pause is invaluable for several reasons: 1. It allows you to take a breath, thereby supplementing your air supply, instead of waiting until you are totally spent of oxygen. Remember, without air, there is no voice.r
No matter what your phobia in addressing an audience, there is a reason that man’s greatest fear is public speaking: we don’t want to make a fool of ourselves. And, no matter how many courses or programs you take, no matter which techniques you use to control, eliminate, or ignore your ...
There is no doubt about it. You have a deeper, sexier speaking voice. Even if your voice is nasally, there is a remedy. All it takes is the knowledge of how to discover your true voice and some practice in making it a habit.
You know others ask you to repeat yourself (a lot) and you know that you lose control of the conversation when people talk over you. You know you have great ideas but those ideas are not being heard because you are often interrupted. You know you are frustrated when you hear, “What did you say?” Being soft-spoken is not a quality that is highly regarded in the business world today. Business is moving faster than ever and if you expect to be taken seriously, you must be heard the 1st time you say it or business will pass you by.