Harnessing the Power of Voice

Aug 1, 2024

The Power of the Human Voice

Introduction

  • The human voice is a powerful instrument.
  • Capable of starting wars or expressing love.
  • People often feel unheard when they speak.

Seven Deadly Sins of Speaking

  1. Gossip
    • Speaking ill of someone not present.
    • Distrustful behavior; the gossiper may speak ill of us later.
  2. Judging
    • Hard to listen when one feels judged.
  3. Negativity
    • Difficult to engage with overly negative people.
    • Example: Personal anecdote about mother's negativity.
  4. Complaining
    • A common habit, especially in the UK.
    • Spreads misery instead of positivity.
  5. Excuses
    • Avoiding responsibility can make one hard to listen to.
  6. Embroidery (Exaggeration)
    • Can lead to diminished language credibility.
    • Exaggeration may transition to lying.
  7. Dogmatism
    • Confusing facts with opinions; impedes effective communication.

Positive Approaches to Speaking

  • Four essential cornerstones for powerful speech: HAIL.
    1. H - Honesty: Be true and clear.
    2. A - Authenticity: Be yourself and stand in your truth.
    3. I - Integrity: Keep your word; be trustworthy.
    4. L - Love: Wish others well, tempering honesty with kindness.

Voice Toolbox

  • Importance of vocal training and awareness.
  • Components of Voice:
    • Register: Channeling voice from different body parts.
    • Timbre: The quality of the voice; can be improved through training.
    • Prosody: The rhythm and melody in speech. Avoid monotones and repetitive questioning intonations.
    • Pace: Varying speed for emphasis.
    • Pitch: Changing tone can alter meaning.
    • Volume: Adjusting loudness for emphasis without overpowering.

Vocal Warm-Up Exercises

  • Importance of warming up the voice before speaking.
  • Suggested exercises:
    1. Deep breaths and sighing.
    2. Lip exercises (Ba, Ba, Ba).
    3. Tongue exercises (la, la, la).
    4. Rolling R's.
    5. Siren exercise (weeeaawww).

Conclusion

  • Reflection on current communication challenges:
    • Poor listening environments and noise.
  • Vision for a world where people communicate powerfully and consciously.
  • A call for better understanding and intentional sound design in our environments.