Katesvoice

When I did a Google search on Obama’s baritone, I got 19,600,000 results. Clearly, there is a lot of  interest in his voice as part of his success.  His prowess as a speaker is even accepted by the opposition. In fact, the latest research seems to indicate that, if the election results are determined by the two candidates’ oration skills, Obama will win, hands down.  This new study, published by the Vox Institute in Geneva, studied both candidates from the perspective of researchers on speech-communication and emotion-psychology.  The study revealed that even though Senator Obama seems to have a permanent look of anxiety on his face (and who wouldn’t if they were signing up for the job of President of the United States?!), McCain’s lack of emotion in both his face and his voice tell us that McCain is weaker than Obama. Add that to the general consensus that a rich, baritone voice is about the best one to have, and the study seems to suggest that we will be singing hail to Obama the chief!

In another study, researchers at Kent State  discovered in 2002 a component of speech that they said was a guaranteed predictor of success for presidential debates.  The study analyzed the voices of presidential candidates in debates since 1960.  They found an aspect of speech that they called a “hum,” in this case an ability to keep your voice steadfast.  You see, they found that people tend to alter their delivery style when they are unsure of themselves, or when they perceive the other speaker(s) as having more authority.  Those candidates in the debates who kept their voices steadfast always won the most votes.

So what does this mean to the voter?  Clearly, it confirms that the voice is a powerful tool and being a good communicator is important and that a great orator has the ability to sway us just with the sound of his or her voice.  Therefore,  before going to the polls, we have to be sure to look beyond a candidates’ voice and hear what they are actually saying.  What is their intention, besides winning?  Do their words, plans and promises align with their intention?  THEN we can evaluate whether or not both align with the sound of their voice and their delivery style, and with our own values and beliefs.

Now, I have a confession.  I may not pay attention to my own advice, as I am biased.  I think it would be wonderful to be represented on the world stage by someone with a beautiful voice again!!

With the conventions about to get underway, it is fascinating to consider the many influences over who we choose for our elected officials.  In this case, I am specifically wondering if we choose them by what they say or HOW they say it.  In a well-known study by Dr. Albert Mehrabian at UCLA in the 1970’s, it was learned that content is only responsible for 7% of a speaker’s appeal.  A whopping 93% of our opinion of a speaker is based on the sound of their voice and other related physical factors.

What is even more interesting to me is that what we consider appealing changes over time, just as fashions do.  Today, we like voices that sound real rather than cultivated, although it is true that ALL voice s are cultivated…but more on that later. As opposed to the time of the great orators like FDR, today we don’t even mind if our politicians make grammatical errors.  In fact, to us, it makes them seem more real.  We think we can relate better to people who make mistakes.  That being said, we sure don’t want them to  make mistakes when it comes to policy decisions!!

When you listen to the conventions, keep this in mind:  Do you like what they say, or how they say it, or both?

Do you talk on the phone for hours every day? In spite of the time we all seem to spend on the internet and using e-mail, most of our important communication still requires us to talk to each other. However, many people use their voices in ways that are damaging to their health and even their credibility.  If you end up hoarse or vocally fatigued at the end of the day you might be one of those people. Here are some simple things you can do right away to have a healthier voice and more vocal impact:

• Though it might be tempting to talk at the water cooler, plan breaks in your day to rest your voice instead.

• Sip water all day long (this is where the water cooler comes in!).

• Put your wireless to use and walk around when you talk on the phone so that you give proper breath support for your voice.  You’ll sound more energetic and confident too!

• If you need to use your voice in public speaking for more than a couple of hours at a time, build up its endurance. Practice speaking at home as if you were giving a presentation. Start by practicing for a half hour at a time. Gradually increase your practice sessions until you can work in two-hour periods without any trouble.

• Don’t let the pitch of your voice fall too low when it’s tired.  Sit or stand up straight when you talk. Hum often to keep your voice warm.  Besides, it’s good for you.  Humming has the effect of an “inner massage” as well!

At an early age, I became obsessed with the need to be understood. Not unusual for a self-focused kid, and some would say it is often the driving force of a middle child (my mom always called me the Ham in the Sandwich..with good reason!). I am sure that this obsession with being heard and understood eventually allowed me to be a performer and a public speaker and to feel very much at ease in front of others. (Are you kidding? They couldn’t keep me OFF of the stage!) It also led me to explore communication in general. This blog will often focus on what makes us better communicators. And this entry is focused on just that.

In general, the key to effective communication is clearly understanding your intention and how that intention aligns with your listener, your content, and the sound of your voice, or the clarity in whatever is your delivery method. So let’s take the first part of this formula today: Intention. Spending time every day to be clear about your intention in your communication is powerful! Here’s a process that can get you started:

• Create a life purpose statement and a work purpose statement. A purpose statement is a brief description of what you do and why you do it.
• Keep these statements in your notebook, date book, laptop, and on your desk- places where you will be able to read them throughout the day as you prepare talks, sales pitches, or discussions.
• Spend two or three minutes every morning consciously reviewing them and how they may apply to the day ahead.
• At the end of the day, spend a couple minutes reviewing them again, and see if you stayed on track.
• If not, make notes on what happened and how you might do things differently the next time.
• If you found that you were on track, plan to get more detailed with your intentions the next day.

Creating a statement of intention for each project or product you represent, and for any important conversations you plan to have will insure that you are more and more aware of what you are saying and how you are saying it! Try this for a month and let me know how it’s going. I’d love to hear from you!

I am very pleased to add my voice to the ranks of bloggers. This is the first, of course. Every post will contain something about voices in it and I hope that you will add your voice to mine and join in the conversation.