Have you assessed your speaking voice lately? Hmm... you could be missing one of the most important tools you have to impact your world... your ability to talk!

Here's how I define a successful speaking voice:

• It communicates clearly, 
• creates the desired response in the listener (at an emotional, not just surface, level)
• and you can operate it without strain!

Here are some typical speaking voice mistakes:

• Talking too fast (totally counterproductive to communication for many reasons)
• Not pausing enough for breath, and for the listener to digest what you said
• Projecting before resonating (sabotaging vocal tone and tiring the voice)
• Yelling to capture attention instead of drawing the listener in
• Habitually speaking 'on gravel' (vocal fry)
• Speaking with too much breath
• Pacing too much - moving without a reason
• Monotone vocal delivery
• Trying to speak over loud noise
• Mumbling, using muddy articulation
• Failing to invite response/engagement
• Using wrong hand language
• Using no hand language
• Articulating to strangers or public as if to family/siblings who can finish your sentences
• THINKING ABOUT communicating instead DOING it
• Not speaking with eye language
• Speaking with inauthentic vocal tone (too friendly when message is serious, too serious when message is friendly, etc)
• Speaking with breath power centered too high
• Articulating from the jaw
• Using wrong body or facial language for the message (looks like lying!)
• Speaking to all rather than to the one

Need (or know someone in need of) an assessment/ corrective lesson? Hit me up. I'm working with some of the top speakers in the world and it's a blast what even one lesson can do.

As always, your feedback on this subject is most welcome. Add to this list of talk trouble if you can!

Labels: articulation, communicate, Judy Rodman, Speaking Voice, Talking, vocal fry