Do you cringe when you listen to recordings of yourself speak? Many of my clients come to me with complaints about the quality of their voice: that it’s too whiny, too nasal, too high-pitched, too soft or any number of other issues. All too often, people assume that they’re stuck with their voice as it is. However, with the help of a trained professional, many vocal qualities can be modified!
A clear, dynamic voice is essential to commanding a room and projecting confidence. In fact, research has shown that the quality of your voice has an even stronger impact on how you are perceived than the content of your message. Poor vocal quality can subconsciously give listeners the impression that you are negative, weak, passive, tense, or unprofessional.
If you think your voice may be holding you back, it might be time to seek out professional vocal training. A corporate speech-language pathologist is not only trained in improving professional communication skills. They’re also trained medical professionals who specialize in speech production, including vocal quality. A speech therapist can help improve vocal strength and clarity, as well as modify other vocal quality issues, such as an overly nasal, breathy or high-pitched voice. With training, you can learn to control your voice. Vocal training typically involves a range of exercises that help you become aware of the components of voice production and how each contributes to the resulting sound. Problematic vocal qualities are then targeted and gradually modified until the desired vocal quality is achieved.
Want to learn more? Watch the video below to learn how a speech-language pathologist can help you change the way you sound!
If you are looking to polish your communication skills be sure to pick up a free copy of my e-book “Communicate with Clarity and Confidence!” by subscribing to our newsletter community on our website. For additional information call us at 212-308-7725 or send us an e-mail at jayne@corporatespeechsolutions.com to learn more. I’d be more than happy to answer any questions you might have!