VoicePro®

Women Leadership Skills: Your Voice is Your Vocal Signature

  

 Email Article  

Tweet  

  

  

Your voice is your vocal signature. It is distinctively yours, unique in the same way your handwriting is unique. From what they hear in your voice, people will make quick judgments about you. They will decide whether you know what you’re talking about, whether you care about what you’re saying, and whether they should listen to you. In short, when produced correctly, your voice conveys strength, power, warmth, expertise, and authenticity.

Unfortunately, too many women don’t make use of this most incredible instrument. Because of cultural conditioning and bad habits learned in early life, they end up with either a “little-girl” voice, or one that’s pinched, brittle and strident. One client of ours, a junior executive, wasn’t advancing as fast as her superiors felt she should be. She wasn’t “living up to her potential.” It became immediately clear to us that her high-pitched, sweet, sing-song voice was the main culprit. When we called her attention to this, she admitted that she was sick and tired of answering the telephone and being asked if her mother was there.

On the other hand, bold and assertive women have often been warned in childhood that they must curb their natural enthusiasm, be more gentle, and “sound like a lady.” So their energy bubbles up, trying to get past tight jaws and constructed throat muscles. When it does escape, their natural ability bursts forth in harsh, aggressive, and/or grating tones that talk at people rather than with them.

Well-played, your vocal instrument produces a pure, full-bodied sound that is your natural voice. The secret is in relaxation and breathing. Check for tension in your jaw, your throat, and your shoulders. Any tension you feel will block the free flow of sound. As you relax those muscles, you’ll feel your voice settle—deep in your body, where it will take on a richness that will surprise you.

When you relax those important vocal muscles, your breath will also deepen. We live in a stressed-out, uptight world, and deep breathing can be one of the first victims of tension. When your breath shortens, you will lose power—no volume, no strength, no authority.

Like the proverbial chicken or egg, it’s hard to tell which comes first, relaxation or breathing. When you relax your muscles, your breath deepens. And when you breathe deeply, your body eases and your muscles let go. In either case, your voice becomes deeper, richer, and more in command. No more little-girl voice. No more harsh stridency.

One of the best ways to improve your leadership skills is to improve your voice. When you use it correctly, your voice is perfect for you. It conveys subtle messages about you as a person and it gives color and meaning to your words. Most important of all, it lets you be heard.