The Human Voice

Introduction

• Human Voice: Instrument everyone plays, most powerful sound.
• Impact: Can start wars or express love.
• Problem: People often feel unheard.

Seven Deadly Sins of Speaking

1. Gossip: Speaking ill of someone not present; leads to distrust.
2. Judging: Hard to listen when being judged.
3. Negativity: Excessive negativity is hard to listen to; includes complaining.
4. Excuses: Blaming others; lack of responsibility.
5. Exaggeration (Embroidery): Demeans language, leads to lying.
6. Dogmatism: Confusion of facts with opinions, difficult to listen to.

Four Cornerstones of Powerful Speech: HAIL

1. Honesty: Being true and clear in speech.
2. Authenticity: Being yourself; standing in your own truth.
3. Integrity: Doing what you say; being trustworthy.
4. Love: Wishing people well; temper honesty with kindness.

Voice Toolbox

• Register: Range of the voice; chest voice conveys authority.
• Timbre: Quality of the voice; rich, smooth tones are preferred.
• Prosody: Melody of speech; avoid monotony, use silence effectively.
• Pitch: Indicates emotional arousal or emphasis.
• Volume: Modulate for emphasis or engagement; avoid "sodcasting".

Vocal Warm-Up Exercises

1. Arms up, deep breath, sigh out.
2. Lip trills: "bop bop bop bop bop".
3. Tongue exercise: "la la la la la".
4. Rolling R's: "r".
5. Siren: from high "we" to low "or".

Conclusion

• Importance of speaking consciously and listening consciously.
• Creating environments designed for sound.
• Aim for a world where understanding is the norm: An idea worth spreading.