Beyond First Impressions: How Voice Shapes Professional Impact
During a recent communication skills assessment for a leadership development program, I observed four teams presenting their strategic initiatives to a panel of executives. Two teams stood out with compelling data, polished slides, and strong arguments. Yet, as I analyzed their presentations, I discovered something profound: vocal dynamics significantly influenced the impact of their messages […]
Online vs. In-Person Communication: What Our Preferences Say About Us
Why do some people thrive in Zoom meetings while others find them soul-crushing? Or why do some love remote work, while others can’t wait to get back to the office? I recently ran a LinkedIn poll asking whether people prefer online or in-person communication, and the results were fascinating—57% favored online. While this reflects our […]
How to Speak Confidently With CEOs, Leaders, and Investors
Nervous About Talking to Someone Important? Try This. Talking with a CEO, investor, or senior leader can trigger a very specific kind of nerves.Your mind jumps ahead: Do I sound inexperienced? Am I saying anything worth their time? Here’s the reframe most people miss:They’re not looking to be impressed. They’re looking to be engaged. The […]
Why Should I Change the Way I Speak?
Why Change Your Voice? The Long-Term Impact of Speech, Voice and Communication Training If you’re happy with how you speak, don’t change it. But if there’s something about your voice or speech that you feel isn’t working for you, why not explore what’s possible? Just as you might update your style or appearance to feel […]
Is Your Voice Getting Lost In The Crowd?
As professionals, and in our lives in general, we call upon many voices to fulfill all the diverse roles we play. One context may call for a voice that is strong and authoritative, another a more compassionate tone. Some contexts require an authoritative voice resonating deep from within the belly and chest, another may call […]
Stop using those filler words! Hmm…
Women and young people tend to use um more. While some perceive this as less competent, research suggests it evolved as a discourse marker—a way to signal that a point may contradict a previous statement. Language evolves, and women often lead these trends.
Silencing the Past
Can You Hear Us Now? A Short History of Women’s Voices for #WomensHistoryMonth Silencing the Past This WomensHistoryMonth, let’s raise our voices (quite literally) and celebrate the incredible journey we’ve taken. For centuries, women’s voices were silenced or dismissed. Imagine a world where Aristotle said “Silence is a woman’s glory,” or Sophocles declared “Silence gives […]
Ditch the Resolutions, Embrace Evergreen Growth
How are your New Year’s resolutions holding up? My Resolution This Year: Ditch the Resolutions, Embrace the Evergreen I’m not a big fan of dramatic, all-or-nothing resolutions. I’ll share my overriding one for the year, which is probably fairly universal and a bit bland-sounding: I simply want to keep learning and growing, both professionally and […]
What Is Vocal Presence? and What’s a Feedback Loop Got To Do With It?
What Is Vocal Presence? and What has a feedback loop got to do with it? I’m fascinated by people who have a magnetism, natural charisma, and the ability to draw people in to whatever they are saying. I’m also fascinated by the mind, body, breath, voice feedback loop. Whenever someone wants to improve their vocal […]
The “Tentative” Language of Women
The “Tentative” Language of Women Weakness? Strength? Strategy? If you’re a woman, you’ve probably gotten the advice to avoid “weak language,” those disclaimers (I might be wrong, but …), hedges (maybe, sort of), and tag questions (don’t you think?) that make your statements sound less like bold demands and more like friendly suggestions. The idea […]