***Ladies, Is Your Voice an Asset or a Liability for Your Career?

In 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, from his earlier play, The Taming of the Shrew.

Lear was correct when he used the words gentle and low in describing an attractive female voice. Instead of the word gentle, however, I would use the word warm. Diane Sawyer’s voice is the epitome of warmth. It is like a blanket around your shoulders. Low, on the other hand, deals with the pitch of the voice which refers to the highness or lowness of sound. (Volume is the loudness or softness of sound.)

In today’s business world where women equal men in numbers in the workforce, having a soft voice is definitely not an asset; however, it does not mean that you should be loud, shrill or whiny. A female (or male) voice that is high-pitched and strident is not pleasant to your listeners’ ears. If this is typical of how you speak, every effort should be made to make the change and discover your richer, warmer resonant sound.

We all have a better voice inside which I refer to as your ‘real’ or ‘true’ voice. Powered primarily by your chest cavity, it has resonance that is not possible if you are using just your voice box and throat cavities to power and amplify your sound. Additionally, if you are nasal, then your nose is doing much more of the work, which can add to the shrillness and stridency of a voice.

Without a doubt, competition in the workforce today is fierce and having a voice that is reminiscent of a squawking chicken is not in your favor. Unfortunately, life in the business world is not always fair; and, it is more difficult for women who must compete with men for jobs, promotions, and equal pay. If your speaking voice is a liability, then you may never achieve the success you deserve.

If you speak too softly, your words are not being heard. If your voice is too loud, others will avoid having to hear your words. Speak with warmth and the right volume and your message will be heard. When your speaking voice is an asset, you will be at your best against your competition.