Several readers sent in questions related to impromptu speeches, including Matthias K.:

I’m pretty comfortable when I have days or even weeks to prepare a speech, but I REALLY struggle when I’m asked to speak at a moment’s notice. Do you have any tips for impromptu speaking?

In this article, you’ll find a set of tips that will make you shine the next time you are asked to speak on the spur of the moment.

Impromptu Speech Scenarios

Impromptu speaking may not be as glamorous as prepared speaking, but it is an equally vital skill simply because there are so many scenarios where you find yourself speaking without more than a few moments of preparation. It’s no surprise that “impromptu speaking sessions” are found within Toastmasters meetings, college communications courses, and public speaking seminars.

Consider just a few situations where you find yourself speaking off the cuff:

• The scheduled speaker is unavailable (or late), and you’ve been asked to fill in.
• You are sitting on a panel answering questions from the audience.
• You are fielding questions after your own talk (yes, your Q&A session is impromptu speaking)
• You are being interviewed on television, radio, webinar, or telephone.
• You are invited (at the last moment) to say a few words at a company gathering
• You are asked to provide a brief status report for your project at a department meeting
• You are motivated to join the debate at the parent association meeting for your child’s school.
• You decide to give an unplanned toast at an event with family or friends.

It’s also worth noting the irony that the better you are at giving prepared speeches, the more often you will be invited to speak with no time for preparation at all. Your friends and colleagues will recognize your speaking skill, and when they need “someone” to say a few words… you’ll be that someone!

Winning Strategies for Impromptu Speeches

Although you may only have a few seconds to prepare for any particular impromptu situation, you certainly can prepare yourself to be ready when called upon.

Here are a few strategies you can use:

Anticipate situations where you may be called upon to speak. For example, if you are attending an engagement party for a close friend or family member, there’s a reasonable chance that you might be asked to speak. Similarly, if one of your close colleagues is scheduled to speak (e.g. your boss, your peer, or your report), it’s also reasonable to assume that you will find yourself speaking. As you head to the event, do a few mental exercises, trying to guess what you might be asked to speak about, and how you would respond. Even if your guess isn’t accurate, it’s amazing how those prior thoughts will help you think on your feet when you are asked to speak.

Wrap your response around a simple template, or framework. If you practice this a few times, you will find that your mini-speeches are much more polished and coherent. A few easy frameworks include:

1. P.R.E.P. (Point. Reason. Example. Point) – Start off by clearly stating your point. Share the primary reason (or reasons, if you have more time). Then, share an example (preferably in story form) where your main point or reason is supported. Finally, conclude by summarizing your central point again. The template works well in many situations, and is easily adapted.
2. Issue, Pros vs. Cons, Conclusions - Start off by framing the issue. Talk about the benefits, and then talk about the drawbacks. Conclude with your recommendation.
3. 5W – In this pattern, you cover your topic by addressing the Who, What, When, Where, and Why elements. For example, if you’ve been asked to speak briefly about a fundraising initiative, you could talk about [1] who started it, and who is involved now; [2] what the goals are; [3] when it started, and the schedule for the future; [4] where does it take place; and [5] why are you involved. This template works nicely, largely because the “why?” comes last, because this is often the most critical information.

Turn your impromptu session into a Q&A session. In situations where you are asked to fill in when the schedule speaker is absent, it may not be wise to launch into a 45 minute impromptu speech. Even the most accomplished speakers are prone to meander in that situation. Instead, reframe the session as a Q&A session, which breaks it up into a series of very small impromptu speeches that are probably easier for you to answer individually. Plus, the content comes directly from the audience, so you are guaranteed to deliver what they are seeking.

Use personal stories. Storytelling is an essential skill for prepared speaking, but it is equally useful for impromptu speaking as well. Stories are emotional, real, and interesting. If you stick to personal stories, you’ll find that it is much easier to speak (even without preparation) because the events happened to you.

Avoid the tendency to go on, and on, and on. Craft a coherent message, and then be quiet. Rambling on will only weaken your overall speech. If you must fill more time, shift into a Q&A.

Go easy on yourself. We all want to speak perfectly every time, but demanding perfection from yourself in an impromptu speech is setting the bar too high. The audience (probably) recognizes that you’ve been thrown in at the last minute, and they will understand.

Your Turn: What’s Your Opinion?

Do you have any proven strategies for mastering the impromptu speech?

Please share in the comments.

Similar Articles You May Like... Bookending Your Speech: A Master Technique Why You Must Relish Every Opportunity to Speak How to Thrive When Speaking Outside 3 Common Ways Speakers Sabotage Themselves 9 Do’s and Taboos to Eat, Drink, and Speak How to Weave Statistics Into Your Speech

Have a Question? Contact me anytime, or find me on Twitter: @6minutes

Andrew Dlugan is the editor and founder of Six Minutes. He teaches courses, leads seminars, coaches speakers, and strives to avoid Suicide by PowerPoint. He is an award-winning public speaker and speech evaluator. Andrew is a father and husband who resides in British Columbia, Canada.

Speaking outdoors is one of the most difficult challenges faced by a public speaker.

Do you know how to overcome the obstacles in this difficult scenario?

An anonymous Six Minutes reader asks:

Every speech I’ve heard given outdoors has been pretty much a disaster. Have I just been unlucky, or is this an impossible venue? Is there any way to succeed?

In this article, we’ll examine the unique challenges of speaking outdoors, and give several tips for effectively getting your message across.

The Challenges of Speaking Outdoors

While it’s great to be outside in the fresh air, it’s usually a terrible venue for speaking. Yet, as long as people continue to congregate outside, there will be speeches delivered outside. Just a few examples include:

• Addressing co-workers at a summer event.
• Delivering a toast at an outdoor wedding or beach barbecue.
• Giving a pep talk to a sports team.
• Speaking to supporters at an outdoor political rally.
• Commemorating an event or speaking at a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The benefits of speaking outdoors are… ah, yes, of course…

1. The lighting is usually very good.

That’s the only one I can think of. Seriously.

On the other hand, the drawbacks of speaking outdoors include:

1. Visual distractions abound, including people walking by, animals, scenery, and even the sky! All of these are competing for the visual attention of your audience. Consider that when you speak indoors, your audience has a relatively narrow choice of things to look at (you, your slides, their mobile device, or the walls)
2. Sound quality is poor as well. Not only do you have to compete with outdoor sounds of all variety (e.g. barking dogs; motored vehicles; sirens; airplanes; even a whistling wind), but your voice may not carry as well either because you are usually standing much farther away from your audience than you would be indoors.
3. As a whole, outdoor events tend to be less structured than those indoors. Getting and retaining their attention can be a difficult or futile activity.

8 Tips for Successfully Speaking Outdoors

Despite all the challenges, there are many things that you can do to improve your effectiveness the next time you speak outdoors.

1. Get attention. If the speech is not part of a planned agenda, it can be difficult even getting the group to look in your direction, much less listen to a speech. How do you get attention? A booming voice, helpful assistants, or a noisy instrument helps.
2. Gather people as close as you can. Outdoor events tend to be fairly relaxed (that’s why you are outdoors!), and people are spread out much more than they would be at a comparable event indoors. By gathering people closer, you improve sight lines, make it easier for everyone to hear you, and increase audience connection. It is well worth your effort to ask people to move in closer. (Not everyone will, but some will, and that’s an improvement.)
3. Move up higher. If there’s a podium to speak from, great. But there usually isn’t. To help everyone see you (and your gestures) better, figure out some way to get higher. Sometimes the landscape will provide for you (e.g. a raised mound; a big rock). Other times, you have to get more creative (e.g. a chair; a milk crate; a picnic table; a tree stump). But please, be careful of your footing.
4. Speak loudly. If you have a timid voice, you are going to have a very difficult time in this environment. Speaking loud is often necessary for you to to be heard at all, and will help you to keep your audience’s attention when distracting sounds invade.
5. Arrange for audio help, if possible. Megaphones and microphones can be tricky to use, but if they are available, I encourage you to use them. If your audience has to strain too hard to hear you, they may give up and watch the clouds instead.
6. Use broad gestures. There are so many moving distractions outside that you’ll often need to be particularly expressive to compete with them.
7. Position yourself so the sun is not in your audience’s eyes. Looking into the sun is too much to ask for most audiences. Position yourself so the sun is off to the side or, if necessary, in your eyes. Hope for clouds (but not rain).
8. Keep your remarks brief. You have a captive audience in a lecture theater, but outdoors, most people want to get back to relaxing, talking, or joining the burger line-up. If you respect this, your audience will thank you.

Good luck!

Your Turn: What’s Your Opinion?

Have you had success speaking outdoors? Or been in the audience for a particularly good speech? What was the key to success?

Please share in the comments.

Similar Articles You May Like... Boost Your Speaking Confidence Through Improv Bookending Your Speech: A Master Technique How to Ace the Short, Impromptu Speech Why You Must Relish Every Opportunity to Speak 3 Common Ways Speakers Sabotage Themselves 9 Do’s and Taboos to Eat, Drink, and Speak

Have a Question? Contact me anytime, or find me on Twitter: @6minutes

Andrew Dlugan is the editor and founder of Six Minutes. He teaches courses, leads seminars, coaches speakers, and strives to avoid Suicide by PowerPoint. He is an award-winning public speaker and speech evaluator. Andrew is a father and husband who resides in British Columbia, Canada.

Has this ever happened to you?

You’ve discovered a fascinating statistic that clinches your persuasive argument. You save it for your last point, and deliver it clearly. You expect a wave of emotion to hit your audience, but…

Nothing. Your audience doesn’t react at all. Do they not get it?

If this sounds familiar, then you are not alone. A Six Minutes subscriber, Akiko Takeshita, sends this question via email:

I wonder if you have any advice for working statistics into a speech. Sometimes it works for me, but I often feel like the audience isn’t impacted by the statistic when the statistic seems very powerful to me. What am I doing wrong?

In this article, we examine the importance of using statistics in your speech, and how to do so effectively.

Why use statistics in your speech?

Knowing how to leverage statistics in your speech is an important skill.

• Statistics add realism to your speech. It’s okay to talk about big ideas in abstract terms, but you also have to make it real. Numbers and facts are one way to staple your speech arguments to reality (thus boosting logos). For example, claiming that correctly setting your tire pressure will increase your fuel mileage is one thing. But stating that it could save $500 a year in fuel costs is much better.
• Statistics can have an emotional impact (pathos) on your audience. For example, you can amplify the emotional response in your speech about poverty by revealing the percentage of children in your community who will not be receiving gifts this holiday season.
• Statistics raise your credibility (ethos) in two ways. First, using a statistic demonstrates that you’ve done research and are working hard for the audience. Second, using statistics from trusted sources (e.g. the World Health Organization) boosts your credibility by association.
• Statistics can be memorable, sticking with your audience beyond the duration of your speech.

How do you choose the right statistics?

If you plunge yourself into research for your topic, you’ll find that you are soon swimming in statistics. With so much data to choose from, how do you decide which material to use?

Here are several factors to consider when making your choice:

• Which statistics would impact your audience most? While it helps if you feel the statistic is powerful (so you can speak with sincerity), it’s more important to choose statistics that your audience will find powerful.
• Which statistics are most surprising? This, too, is dependent on the audience. Your goal is to have your audience members leave the room and say to their friends, “You’ll never believe what I learned in a speech today…“
• Which statistics help validate your individual arguments? Statistics should not be included in your speech because they are merely interesting trivia; they must be closely tied to your core message or supporting points. If it isn’t relevant to your speech, your audience may remember the statistic, but they won’t remember you or your message.

The art of weaving the statistic into your speech.

If you remember just one thing from this article, remember this: you must provide a meaningful context for your statistics. A naked statistic will not impact your audience if they do not have the background knowledge to assess it properly.

For example, suppose I tell you that Six Minutes has ten thousand subscribers. You may be impressed, but you may not. Is that a big number? A small number?

However, if I also tell you that this makes Six Minutes one of the most popular speaking blogs on the planet (or perhaps the most popular), this allows you to interpret the statistic in a more meaningful context.

• Follow up the statistic with a comparison in concrete terms to which your audience can relate.
• Bring your statistic to life by telling the story of one of the “numbers”. For example, if your statistic is the number of people with breast cancer, you might begin by telling the story of a breast cancer victim and then reveal that “she is just one of 100,000 women in this country who will find out they have cancer this year.”
• Compare the statistic to itself earlier in time. The most powerful aspect may be to see how the value has changed from one year to the next, or from one decade to the next.
• Don’t rely on your audience to just “get it.” Explain the connection between the statistic and your message. A direct approach is usually best, such as “This is important because…“

Delivering the statistic for maximum effect

Assuming you’ve used one of the earlier tips for weaving the statistic into your speech, your effectiveness still hinges on successful delivery. Here are a few techniques you can use to maximize the effect you desire:

• Hint at its importance. You can do this earlier in the speech to build suspense (e.g. “In a few moments, I’m going to reveal a shocking statistic that will make you change the way you view civic politics…“) or use a quick, immediate approach (e.g. “If you remember just one thing from this speech, remember this…“)
• Pause immediately before the statistic to create suspense.
• Articulate clearly, and speak slightly slower than your normal rate. This will also signal the importance of the statistic.
• Pause immediately after the statistic (a little longer than before) to give your audience time to process the meaning and “feel” the impact.
• Use gestures to demonstrate the magnitude. Standing with your arms wide open, for example, creates a sense of size.
• Use facial expressions to convey the appropriate reaction. (i.e. show your own shock, surprise, sadness, etc.)
• If you are speaking with slides, you might reveal a slide to coincide with your statistic. You could use a chart to highlight the magnitude of the number, or you could use a photograph to strike a more emotional tone. Whatever you do, make sure that slide is simple! You want your audience to easily digest the meaning along with your spoken words.

Your Turn: What’s Your Opinion?

Have you had success with statistics in your speeches? What works for you? What doesn’t?

Please share in the comments.

Similar Articles You May Like... Bookending Your Speech: A Master Technique How to Ace the Short, Impromptu Speech Why You Must Relish Every Opportunity to Speak How to Thrive When Speaking Outside 3 Common Ways Speakers Sabotage Themselves 9 Do’s and Taboos to Eat, Drink, and Speak

Have a Question? Contact me anytime, or find me on Twitter: @6minutes

Andrew Dlugan is the editor and founder of Six Minutes. He teaches courses, leads seminars, coaches speakers, and strives to avoid Suicide by PowerPoint. He is an award-winning public speaker and speech evaluator. Andrew is a father and husband who resides in British Columbia, Canada.

Reading a speech is not the recommended way to deliver a speech.

But, there are many occasions where you may find yourself in exactly this situation, whether due to the circumstances of the event or unavoidable constraints on time. Or, maybe you’ve got to read a speech that you haven’t written!

When you must read a speech, are there ways to enhance your delivery? Two Six Minutes readers approach this question from different perspectives:

Patricia McArver writes:

How should a speechwriter mark up copy so that the speaker will deliver the message with emphasis and pauses in the right places? As a writer, you think it’s obvious, but that’s not always the case.

Jacob Miller asks:

Do you have any tips for annotating a speech? When I try to read my speeches, I frequently get lost in the print, and sometimes I put the emphasis in the wrong places. Is there anything I can do other than the obvious — practicing more?

When is it okay to read a speech?

Although I strongly encourage you to read your speeches as rarely as possible, there are occasions when it is acceptable, or even expected. These include:

• You are speaking at a highly formal occasion (e.g. a commencement speech)
• You are delivering a particularly emotional speech (e.g. a wedding speech, a eulogy)
• You are forced to read word-for-word by lawyers or campaign managers (e.g. a corporate statement; a political speech)
• A speechwriter has written your speech.
• Life prevented you from preparing adequately.
• Within a larger speech, you are reading a passage from another work (e.g. a poem; a book excerpt).
• You are a brand new speaker, and you haven’t developed the confidence yet to go without a script.

The drawbacks of reading from a script

Once you are committed to reading your speech (or a portion of it), it’s helpful to consider the drawbacks so that you can attempt to compensate for them.

Negative effects of reading include:

• Your eyes are on your page, and not connecting with your audience.
• Your eyes are on your page, and not reading feedback from your audience.
• Your head is tipped down, which inhibits your vocal projection.
• You are locked into the words, not as free to introduce a conversational style.
• You risk skipping words or lines, and sounding foolish.
• Your vocal variety tends to be limited, as you concentrate on simply “getting the words out” instead of worrying how they sound.

Creating the best the printed speech

Whether you are writing your own speech, or writing one for someone else to deliver, there are several strategies for creating an optimal page, including:

• Don’t hand-print or write your speech. I don’t know a person in the world who writes or prints as neatly as Times New Roman font. Even slight imperfections in your penmanship make you work harder than necessary when reading. Type it in and print it out.
• Print with a large font size — larger than you would typically use. For example, I typically print documents with 9 or 10 point font. When I have to read during a speech, I make sure it is 12, 14, or 18-point font. Larger typography makes it easier to read, and easier to find your place as you look up and then back down again.
• Print using multiple narrow columns. It’s harder to read wide columns of text (your eye is strained to “wrap” to the next line), so format it into two or three columns.
• Use subheadings. You won’t read these, of course, but using subheadings can help to structure the speech on the page, and is a good signal to take an extended pause.
• Use line breaks to mark pauses, even within sentences. This technique is wonderfully explained in Speak Like Churchill, Stand Like Lincoln (read the Six Minutes review). The idea is to divide the sentence into bite-sized chunks. Between each chunk, insert a slight pause, which is marked by the line break. Skilled speakers can use this technique to create a balanced cadence that overcomes some of the drawbacks of reading.
• Use ellipses to mark pauses, … or perhaps words that should be draaawn out for effect.
• Use italics or bolding to mark words, phrases, or entire sentences that require extra emphasis. Pick one style and use it consistently, so as not to confuse yourself or your speaker. I suggest not using underlining for this purpose as it will often truncate the bottoms of letters making them harder to read.
• Use italics or bolding or color to mark linked words, which may be separated by several other words or sentences. Consider this a form of super-emphasis.
• Put instructional annotations (not meant to be read) in the margins. For years, I used to write “BREATE” and “SLOW DOWN” in red pen on my speeches.

What can you do with your body?

The printed page acts a bit like handcuffs, restraining your gestures and locking your body position in non-optimal ways. Still, there are a few things you can do to improve the situation.

• As much as possible, position your printed page high and away from your body. (i.e. if you are using a lectern, make sure it isn’t set too low, and try to read from the upper part.) This will keep your gaze closer to your audience, and also allow better voice projection.
• Don’t forget about gestures. It’s hard to incorporate them, but do your best to avoid a completely lifeless body.
• Use expressive facial gestures while you read. Though it may seem counter-intuitive to use facial gestures even when you are facing downward, forcing yourself to generate appropriate facial gestures will bring your vocal variety alive.

Last words…

Minimize reading your speeches. For most settings, your delivery will be much more effective if you free yourself of the page. If you can only memorize a few sentences, then memorize your opening and closing words.

Don’t accept the “I didn’t have time to learn it” excuse from yourself repeatedly. You owe it to yourself and to your future audiences to break free of the page.

All of these techniques above can be utilized to prepare yourself for rehearsals. Working from a well-annotated printed speech, you will find it easier to practice and gradually learn the speech. (Of course, you should also be editing and revising as you rehearse.)

Your Turn: What’s Your Opinion?

Do you have any tips for marking up your speech so it is easier to read or learn?

Similar Articles You May Like... Bookending Your Speech: A Master Technique How to Ace the Short, Impromptu Speech Why You Must Relish Every Opportunity to Speak How to Thrive When Speaking Outside 3 Common Ways Speakers Sabotage Themselves 9 Do’s and Taboos to Eat, Drink, and Speak

Have a Question? Contact me anytime, or find me on Twitter: @6minutes

Andrew Dlugan is the editor and founder of Six Minutes. He teaches courses, leads seminars, coaches speakers, and strives to avoid Suicide by PowerPoint. He is an award-winning public speaker and speech evaluator. Andrew is a father and husband who resides in British Columbia, Canada.

Yet these insidious verbal hiccups are ubiquitous, uttered by most speakers in most speeches every day.

Robin Hutchins writes:

I teach a college speech class. The most common struggle my students have is the use of filler words such as um and uh. Do you have a strategy that helps to omit filler words?

What can be done? Is it hopeless?

In this article, we examine why filler words have a negative impact on your effectiveness, and learn a five-step strategy for reducing them.

Um… What’s the Problem?

Some people adopt a zero tolerance policy when it comes to filler words, believing that a few ruin the delivery and invalidate an otherwise solid speech.

I’m not one of those people. An occasional filler word does not trump passion and a great message. Furthermore, I’ve heard audience members comment that an occasional filler word makes the speaker seem human (and not robotic).

Nonetheless, speakers should strive to minimize filler words. They contribute nothing, and weaken your effectiveness as as a speaker in two primary ways:

• Filler words represent verbal static that has to be filtered out by your audience. (It’s one of the communication barriers cited in a recent article by guest author Stacey Hanke.) Why say it if the audience has to immediately filter it out?
• Repeated and excessive use of filler words weakens your credibility. It may be perceived as indicating lack of preparation, lack of knowledge, or lack of passion. All of these perceptions are bad for you.

Filler Sounds, Filler Words, and Filler Phrases

I’ve started this article using the collective term “filler words”, but this is really a convenient shorthand for three related speech fillers:

• Filler Sounds — e.g. um, uh, ah, mm
• Filler Words – e.g. basically, actually, literally
• Filler Phrases – e.g. “I think that”, “you know”, “what I’m trying to say is”

All of these — and there are more in each category — contribute nothing and could be completely wiped from your vocal patterns without any loss in meaning.

[Note: There are cases where some of the words/phrases do convey meaning, but this is rare.]

A Strategy for Removing Filler Words from Your Speech

I wish there were a switch that could be flipped to strike these from a speaker’s vocabulary. (I would flip the switch for myself!) Since the magic switch is elusive, here are the steps I recommend for minimizing these fillers.

Step 1 — Assess how often you are using filler words.

Before you embark on an effort to extinguish filler words, you should assess how frequently you utter filler words in your presentations. There are three easy ways to do this:

1. Recruit an audience member to track it and provide feedback. Ask them not only to provide a count of each filler used, but also to comment on the impact.
2. Record your voice, and do an objective analysis. I occasionally do this with a digital voice recorder. This can be done non-obtrusively for nearly any speech you deliver.
3. Record yourself on video. This is marginally more obtrusive, but delivers more benefits. You get verbal feedback, but you also get to see the expressions on your face and what happens to your eyes when you are… uh… filling in words.

Your goal in assessment is to answer the following:

• How often are you inserting filler words?
• Are they distracting?
• Are they undermining your credibility?

Step 2 — Understand why you are doing it, and why it is unnecessary.

Filler words — that is, filler sounds, filler words, and filler phrases — are inserted when our brain needs a moment to catch up to our mouth.

In certain contexts, filler words can serve a minor purpose. In a phone conversation, for example, a filler word sends a signal to the other person which says “I’m still thinking, and I’m not willing to pass the conversation back to you just yet.” In this way, the filler word fills the otherwise dead space which might indicate that you have completed your thought.

In the majority of public speaking situations, however, this is a completely useless signal. There isn’t any risk of someone in the audience taking over as soon as you go silent for a moment. You don’t need to fill that space to say that you’re thinking. You just need to … think, and your audience will understand.

Step 3 — Raise your level of preparation.

I have observed my filler word usage is highest when my preparation is lowest. Failure to prepare adequately has two effects:

1. Your brain needs to “create” words on the fly, as opposed to pulling them from (preparation) memory. This increases cognitive strain, making it more likely that you’ll fall behind.
2. You are (usually) more nervous when unprepared. Feeling nervous makes most people speak quicker, thus making it more likely that your brain won’t keep up.

One additional aspect of preparation which merits mentioning is the importance of adequate rest. When you are rested, your brain will be sharper and you will find it easier to articulate your thoughts without stumbling.

Adequate preparation (which has many other benefits) will thus reduce the occurrence of filler words.

Step 4A — Slow down.

Slowing your pace will also reduce those um’s and ah’s, because it makes it easier for your brain to keep up. It doesn’t have to be a drastic change; even a modest reduction in pace will help. As an added bonus, speaking a bit slower probably improves the ability of your audience to understand you.

To make this possible, you must be realistic about your time constraints and the amount of material you have. As speakers force more and more content into their presentation, they’ll have to talk faster and faster to complete it on time. Avoid this temptation.

Step 4B — Embrace the pause.

The best advice I ever received to reduce ums and ahs is to just pause. Replace the filler word(s) with silence. Since you’ve probably become accustomed to using filler words, replacing them with silence will take practice. Commit yourself to the change, and it will happen.

Step 5 — Monitor your progress, and be patient.

Every so often, step back and monitor your progress. Revisit the assessment tasks in Step 1, and compare the results.

• Have you reduced the frequency of filler words in your speech?
• Have you reduced the negative impact on your effectiveness caused by using filler words?
• Do you notice a correlation between preparedness and speaking filler-free?
• Is your pace slower?
• Are you simply pausing when you think about what to say next?

Your Turn: What’s Your Opinion?

How would you answer Robin’s question? Do you have a strategy to stop using um’s and ah’s?

Similar Articles You May Like... Are… um… Filler Words… ah… Okay? Speech Critique: Elizabeth Gilbert @ TED (Author of Eat, Pray, Love) Breathing: The Seductive Key to Unlocking Your Vocal Variety Toastmasters Speech 6: Vocal Variety Bookending Your Speech: A Master Technique How to Ace the Short, Impromptu Speech

Have a Question? Contact me anytime, or find me on Twitter: @6minutes

Andrew Dlugan is the editor and founder of Six Minutes. He teaches courses, leads seminars, coaches speakers, and strives to avoid Suicide by PowerPoint. He is an award-winning public speaker and speech evaluator. Andrew is a father and husband who resides in British Columbia, Canada.

True, but sad, since so many speakers perpetuate these communication barrier habits. I invited the video’s creator — Stacey Hanke — to share it with Six Minutes readers, and here is her article for you.

Most individuals are unaware of the static they create when they communicate. What do I mean by static? Static is created when what you say is inconsistent with how you say it.

For example, suppose you’re having a conversation and the other person says, in a boring, monotone voice, “I’m so excited to have this opportunity to work with you.” Their facial expressions are lifeless. They never look you in the eye while they’re fidgeting with a pen. Most likely you’d question their credibility and knowledge, and not take action on what they have to say.

This article will increase your awareness of the static you are creating for your listeners, and give you practical, immediate tips to have more impact and influence.

Video: Stop Communicating Ineffectively

Take a couple minutes to view the video below, and then continue with the rest of the article which builds upon it.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Communication Barrier #1
Lack of Enthusiasm

Do you really believe your product is better than the competition’s? Do you look as confident as you say you are? The benefits of your product will not be believable if you don’t communicate your passion, enthusiasm, and commitment through your facial expressions.

How to Avoid This Barrier: Show Some Enthusiasm

• Begin paying attention to the type of facial expressions you use and when you use them. You may not be aware of when you frown, roll your eyes, or scowl.
• Make sure your facial expressions are appropriate based on your topic, listeners and objective. When you’re smiling while communicating a serious or negative message, you create a discrepancy between your facial expression and your message. The same discrepancy applies when you’re communicating a positive message without facial expressions.
• Once you have increased your awareness of facial expressions, practice the skill of incorporating them into your message, matching the appropriate expression to each situation. You wouldn’t want to have a stone-cold look on your face when you are expressing your passion for your company’s products.

Communication Barrier #2
Distracting Gestures

The majority of individuals I work with fidget with their fingers, rings, pen — the list goes on. If they don’t fidget, then they unconsciously talk with their hands. Their elbows get locked at their sides and every gesture looks the same. Or they’ve been told they talk with their hands so they hold their hands and do nothing.

Throughout the day, notice how you and others use gestures.

• Do you talk with your hands or gesture too often? If you’re constantly using gestures, you’re not able to think on your feet and you’re creating static.
• Do your gestures have purpose?
• Ask for constructive feedback from friends, family and co-workers: “When I gesture do I look like I’m talking with my hands?” “Do I use gestures too often or not enough?”

How to Avoid This Barrier: Use Gestures for Emphasis

Confident speakers use gestures to add emphasis to their words. To gesture with purpose, avoid locking your elbows at your sides or creating the same repetitious gestures. Instead, expand your gestures from your sides and let your hands emphasize and describe your message.

Add variety to your gestures by relaxing your arms back to your sides after you complete a gesture.

Benefits include:

• When your gestures create a visual for your listeners, they’ll remember more information and will remember your message longer.
• Gestures will grab your listener’s attention.
• Gestures add energy and inflection to your voice and channel your adrenaline and nervous energy.

Communication Barrier #3
Lack of Focus

The more you add information that isn’t necessary, the greater the risk your listeners will misinterpret your point.

How to Avoid This Barrier: Stay Focused

1. When you begin to say too much and feel like a train about to derail, put the brakes on and get yourself back on track … PAUSE!
2. Keep your objective in mind. Think in terms of what your listener needs to know about what you want them to do, not what you want to tell them.
3. Put thought into your words.
4. Focus your message on three significant points.
5. Pay attention to your listener. Are they hanging on your every word or are they dazed? Are they attentive or fidgeting?

Communication Barrier #4
Using PowerPoint as a Crutch

PowerPoint isn’t designed to serve as your notes. The purpose of visual aids is to enhance and support your message through pictures and illustrations.

How to Avoid This Barrier: Design Visual Aids, not Wordy Slides

How you design your visual aids will determine your ability to stay connected with your listener.

• Create PowerPoint slides with more pictures and fewer words.
• Ask yourself, “Why am I using this PowerPoint slide?”
• Identify how your PowerPoint slide best supports your message based on the following criteria:
• Listener expectations and needs.
• Listener experience and knowledge level.
• Objectives.
• Time frame.
• Number of participants.
• Save details for handouts. Your listeners will appreciate a conversational approach with interaction accompanied by take-aways they may use as a resource.
• Stay away from software overkill. If you’re clicking the mouse every few seconds, your visual aids are the message and you are the backup.
• If you’ve been using the same PowerPoint design for more than six months, it’s time to make a change!
• Stop disconnecting with your listener by talking to your visual aids. Only speak when you see eyes! Pause when you refer to your visual aids and stay connected with your listener.

Communication Barrier #5
Verbal Static

Um… what perception… like… do you create… you know… when you hear… um… a speaker using… uh… words that clutter… you know… their language? Knowledgeable, credible and confident are labels which probably don’t come to mind.

As I travel the country, the number one challenge individuals need to overcome to increase their influence is the ability to replace non-words with a pause. We use non-words to buy ourselves time to think about what we want to say. These words are distracting and your listener misses your message.

How to Avoid This Barrier: Eliminate Filler Words

Benefits for you:

• Think on your feet.
• Get to the point and avoid rambling.
• Take a relaxing breath.
• Hold your listener’s attention.
• Gain control over your message.

Benefits for listener:

• Hear, understand and respond.
• Act on what you say.

Communication Barrier #6
Lack of Eye Connection

The only way to build a relationship is through trust. When you forget what to say, you will look at the ceiling, floor, PowerPoint slides or anywhere away from your listener. When you disconnect you’ll say: “uh” “um” “so” “and”, etc.

How to Avoid This Barrier: Keep Your Eyes On Your Audience

When speaking to more than two individuals, connect with one individual for a complete sentence or thought. Take a moment to pause as you transition your eyes from one individual to another.

When rehearsing, ask your listener to immediately give you feedback when you look away from them while you’re speaking.

Similar Articles You May Like... Are Your Speech Gestures Too Small, Too Big, or Just Right? Toastmasters Speech 5: Your Body Speaks How to Make Reading a Speech Not Like Reading a Speech How to Stop Saying Um, Uh, and Other Filler Words Speech Critique: Elizabeth Gilbert @ TED (Author of Eat, Pray, Love) Boost Your Speaking Confidence Through Improv

Have a Question? Contact me anytime, or find me on Twitter: @6minutes

Stacey Hanke is co-author of Yes You Can! Everything You Need From A To Z To Influence Others To Take Action and founder of 1st Impression Consulting, Inc. She helps individuals eliminate the static that plagues communicative delivery - to persuade, sell, influence and communicate face-to-face with a clear message. She has trained over 15,000 people to rid themselves of bad body language habits and choose words wisely.

I agree. After all, who am I to argue with Aristotle?!?

Regardless of the venue (10 people or 1,000 people, a conference, a sales call, or a feedback session), we, as speakers, are always trying to sell our credibility and value – not to mention our ideas. Hence, all speaking is persuasive.

Unfortunately, all too often presenters think they are “just giving information.” “Information” is often better delivered in written form, giving the audience time to digest and think about the material.

Just think for a minute how much time would be saved if people read the material in advance, and the group time was spent answering questions.

That being said, presenting information in a way that shows passion and enthusiasm not only makes the material more interesting, but the speaker more memorable and inspirational – even persuasive.

So, what makes a presentation and presenter persuasive?

There are 4 critical factors. I’ll start with three that Aristotle himself mentioned, and then add one of my own.

1. Logos

Translated from Greek, it means logic. Information must make sense – it needs to be organized logically so people can follow along. Not only is organization important, but so are the facts and figures that make your case. Information that hits the “head” falls into the logos category. Logic alone, however, isn’t enough to spur people to action — it’s critical to justify the movement. That’s why Aristotle said that along with logos, you also need pathos.

2. Pathos

Pathos = emotions. We are moved by our emotions – hitting the heart and the gut. Not everyone is moved by the same things, however. Some people are motivated by money; others by prestige or power. The better you know the people that you want to persuade (their demographics, job levels, reasons for being there, etc.), the better you can use examples that will move them. Overall, a speaker’s goal is to create a need – driven by the positives that the people will achieve by doing what the presenter suggests or the pain they will experience by not doing it.

3. Ethos

Your ethos is your credibility. If people believe and trust you as a speaker, you will have a much easier time getting them to believe what you have to say. If they don’t like or trust you, it would be rare for them to buy into your ideas. There would always be an undercurrent of skepticism. This “unearned” credibility can come from the bio audience members read before attending your presentation, or in the words of an introducer reading your prepared introduction.

4. Passion

No matter what the message, a speaker must deliver it with passion. Use vocal variation that makes the message convincing. I have frequently been called a motivational speaker, but I see myself as a high content speaker who is passionate about my message. Not only is vocal passion critical, but it must be congruent with your visual body language. I have had people say to me, “I can’t be passionate, my topic is boring …” or, “I am an accountant, scientist,” etc. My answer to them is …

There are no boring topics. Boring is an attitude. There are boring speakers.

If your message can help audience members, and you believe in its content, it is up to you to deliver it enthusiastically so that people get excited.

Persuasive speaking can be used for the greater good or for negative purposes. Each listener should be aware of the ultimate purpose of the person presenting the message. It is easy to be swayed when the speaker is using logic, emotion, unearned credibility and passion. Use these persuasive speaking tools well.

Persuasive Speaking: A Look at Logos, or Logic

There are many ways to organize your information in a presentation, to be more persuasive. Three techniques include:

A. Motivated sequence

Attention, need, satisfaction, visualization, and appeal to action.

1. The attention step is designed to gain the audience’s attention, and create goodwill and respect between the presenter and audience.
2. The need element is developing a general problem and relating it to audience members’ desires. Remember, the needs are theirs and not yours.
3. Satisfaction is showing how your service or product solves the problem. It points out the features of your product/service and benefits to audience members.
4. Visualization is to intensify the desire of audience members to move ahead with the solution you proposed. You describe how things will be after the proposal is adopted, and further explain the benefits.
5. Lastly, the action step is when you urge audience members to take action – with the objective to close your presentation with a sense of completeness, spurring people to act.

B. Reflective

Present a problem; give several alternatives; evaluate them; select the best. If you already have the solution, you want to ensure that your information supports that solution. Here are 8 steps a presenter follows when using this speech organization method:

1. Introduction
2. Problem (establishing criteria for evaluating the options)
3. Possible solution (evaluate using the criteria; start with the positives and end with the negatives – making sure that the negatives outweigh the positives)
4. Repeat step 3 again
5. Your choice
6. Possible solution (reverse your approach by mentioning the negatives first, and end with the positives – making sure that the benefits outweigh the negatives)
7. Review (problem, criteria, and optimum solution)
8. Call to action/memorable statement

C. Proposition to proof

In your introduction, present your proposition; then prove it throughout the body of your speech. Conclude with an appeal to accept or act upon your proposition. Here are the 5 steps a speaker uses when using this method to organize a presentation:

1. Introduction
2. State your proposition (what you want them to believe or do)
3. Proof (give reasons – logical and emotional – that support the proposition)
4. Review
5. Call to action/Memorable statement

Similar Articles You May Like... Book Review: Thank You For Arguing (Jay Heinrichs) Ethos, Pathos, Logos: 3 Pillars of Public Speaking Speech Critique: Dan Pink (TED 2009) How to Dress for Public Speaking 17 Easy Ways to Be a More Persuasive Speaker What is Logos and Why is it Critical for Speakers?

Have a Question? Contact me anytime, or find me on Twitter: @6minutes

Marjorie Brody is a Hall of Fame speaker, coach to Fortune 500 executives and author of more than 18 books, including Speaking is an Audience-Centered Sport. She is CEO of BRODY Professional Development, a business communication and presentation skills company located in the Philadelphia suburbs that offers tailored training programs, workshops, keynote presentations, and executive coaching. To contact Marjorie, visit www.BrodyPro.com.

Does your voice convey confidence and conviction every time you speak?

Or does your voice need strength training?

A Six Minutes reader whose career depends on a strong, confident voice sent in this question:

“One thing I need help in is voice control.  For some reason my voice quivers.  Is there some kind of exercise that may strengthen my vocal cords? Any ideas what may contribute to that?

Also, as a Realtor, I encounter the quivery voice as I’m talking with my clients and it conveys an impression of not being sure of what I’m saying.”

Your Speaking Voice

The voice is made up of muscles, cavities, tissues, nerves, fluids, etc., just like the rest of you.  It can produce at least 325 different pitches. There are more nerves in the muscles of the larynx than any other muscles in your body, with the exception of your eyes. In addition, you use three quarters of your body when you speak a word, and even a stubbed toe can affect the sound of your voice.  So it’s not surprising that your voice can be adversely affected by excitement and stress.

Just as with the rest of your body, some people naturally have more vocal strength, while others need to pump up theirs just to keep up with their daily vocal requirements.  I cannot know the exact cause of the reader’s quivers without speaking with them, but it is likely that the cause of their quivering voice is either nerves, or lack of vocal strength, or both.  Regardless of the case, voice training using proper vocal exercises can make a world of difference in both control and endurance in the voice.

Unless you are a voice practitioner, or have studied with a voice professional (which I highly recommend!) you may not know what proper vocal exercises are. So here is a mini-workout that you can use every day to get your voice in shape and get control of those tremors, quivers, and flips when you speak.

A Strength Training Workout for Your Voice

1. Breathe deeply and exhale on a hisssssssing sound.  Repeat 10 times.
   • Proper breathing is the foundation for a healthy voice AND control over nervous energy that can make the voice quiver.
2. Say “Mm-mmm (as in yummy) Mmm-hmm (like yes) ” Repeat 5  times.
   • This develops mask resonance, which creates a clean and vibrant sound by creating a clean approximation of the cords and a resonance that will sound great and project easily.
3. Say “Mm-mmm.  Mmm-hmm.” up and down your vocal range, from low to middle to high and back again, 10 times.
4. Raise your volume a bit and say “Mmmmmmmmy name is…” Repeat this ten times up and down your vocal range.
   • This enhances vocal flexibility and coordination.
5. Say “Ney, ney, ney, ney, ney” loudly but without yelling 10 times up and down your vocal range.
   • This is more mask resonance training.
6. Starting at mid range, make a siren sound with Oooo and Eeeee by sliding down your vocal range several times, starting higher each time.
   • Again, the focus here is on more flexibility and coordination.
7. Say “Mmmmmmm” until you feel a buzzy sensation in the front of your face. Repeat 5 times.
   • Mask resonance again.
8. Now, for isolation of muscles for articulation, try some tongue twisters like those below.  To get the full workout, say them each several times but only as fast as you can go and keep them clear.  You can increase your speed over time:
   • The blue bluebird blinks.
   • Three free throws.
   • What time does the wristwatch strap shop shut?
   • Strange strategic statistics.
   • Freshly fried flying fish, freshly fried flesh.
9. To bring it all together, speak a few sentences out loud.  Use an opening or closing of a talk, a favorite poem or long quote, or song lyrics.
10. Every good work out needs a cool down.  End with 5 more big, deep breaths.

Taking Your Vocal Workout to the Next Level

The workout above will help you get some awareness of your voice and start to strengthen it.  To go to the next level, I recommend the following:

• Practice your speeches out loud.
• Warm up your voice everyday, but especially before public speaking. Ideally, spend as much time practicing as you will in front of an audience.
• Learn to breathe properly and apply that technique to your public speaking.
  See Breathing: The Seductive Key to Unlocking Your Vocal Variety
• Hum a lot.  Explore and develop mask resonance.
  See Speak Up! A Guide to Voice Projection
• Take a singing class or private singing lessons. This is true strength training for your voice.

Similar Articles You May Like... 5 Speaking Resolutions to Wow Your Audience in 2012 8 Key Points for Perfect Presentation Practice Speak Up! A Guide to Voice Projection Average Speakers Suck. Don’t be Average. Book Review: Confessions of a Public Speaker (Scott Berkun) Breathing: The Seductive Key to Unlocking Your Vocal Variety

Have a Question? Contact me anytime, or find me on Twitter: @6minutes

Kate Peters is a singer/actor, voice coach, speaker, and the author of Can You Hear Me Now? Harnessing the power of your vocal impact in 31 days. Through her presentations, seminars, workshops and private coaching, Kate helps executives, speakers, and performers find the strengths in their voices to better express themselves in their professional and personal lives. For more information, visit Kate’s blog.

Have you ever been at an industry conference, a PTA meeting, or a community gathering where you wanted to stand up and voice your opinion, but couldn’t find the words or didn’t have the confidence to put yourself out there?

This article shows how you can gain public speaking confidence using an unlikely method — by practicing improv comedy.

What is improvisational comedy?

Remember the TV show, Who’s Line Is It Anyway? The stars would be placed in a scene or character, and they would entertain us with their on-the-spot confidence and skills.

Improvisational comedy — or just plain improv — is the trained skill of improvised acting and spontaneously creating hilarity. If you are like me, you may view spontaneity as creating new things on the spot — creativity on demand. But spontaneity is something you already possess. It is about removing the mental blocks to your innate creativity, and letting your inner self shine.

We often have a gut instinct about what is funny in the moment and that can serve us well. Training in improv comedy allows you to recognize those moments, relax, and let your spontaneity flow. You will stress less about what is and isn’t allowed, and speak up more freely.

Learning by playing

One of the first things you learn at improv is to get in a playful state. What this means is that you let go of the need for perfection. Let go of the wish to affect the outcome – to always want to be successful and to avoid failure. Just play. Regardless of the outcome.

When you are doing improv, you learn to do before you think too much. Act as soon as the thought appears. If you start to think about it, and imagining what can go wrong, you won’t express the creativity. Be willing to reveal that inner self that usually gets censored. When you play, you can be any character you want to be.

Improv games you can play

Find a friend or group of friends who are open to learning new skills.

You can practice these exercises as long as you want, but each round should last about two minutes.

Game 1: Word-at-a-time storytelling

This is an exercise for two people. The goal is to tell a story one word at a time alternating between the two people.

For example: (Person A) Once, (Person B) upon, (A) a, (B) time, (A) I, (B) walked, (A) into, (B) a, (A) tree, and so on.

When starting out, you may find it easier to frame what the story is about before starting. This gives the participants an idea of the direction of the story. For example, “Go into a forest and kill a monster.” Then leave the details up to the participants.

Game 2: Speaking in Gibberish

This can be practiced alone. However, to get the best effect, you need to get feedback, so at least two people are recommended.

Act out a scene without using your verbal skills. You’ll notice how much of communication is actually non-verbal as you can still tell a lot with non-verbal cues (e.g. pointing to a watch or showing a surprised or angry expression).

Game 3: Questions are the answer

This is a game for two people who get placed in a scene and then they share a dialogue around it. The rule is that you can only ask questions. No answers, statements or explanations – always answer a question with a question.

Keep trying to move the conversation forward, so stay clear of circular arguments, i.e. why? Why not?

For example, suppose the scene is a pet shop.

• Person A: Do you have any puppies?
• Person B: What kind of puppies do you like?
• Person A: What about german sheppard puppies?
• Person B: Male or female puppies?
• … and so on.

Game 4: Play with an imaginary object

Stand in a circle with your group of friends. One-by-one, pick up an imaginary object from a the table in front of you, interact with it, and pass it on to person next to you. They will then take it, interact with it, and put it back on the table.

You have to make it clear what the object is, so that the person next to you knows how to interact with it.

For example, pick up an imaginary lollipop, lick it a few times, put it in your mouth (with the tongue bulging out your cheek), before taking it out and passing it to the next person.

Game 5: Narrating a story

Two people play this game. One person narrates while the other acts out the story.

There are two variations you can play. In variation A, the narrator prescribes what the other person should act out. In variation B, the actor acts out a story, and the narrator responds by describing it.

For example:

• Variation A: Narrator says “The man saw a big monster and took out his sword” (and the actor then performs the action as described).
• Variation B: The actor acts surprised and exaggerates taking a sword out of a sheath (and the narrator describes what is happening).

Improv lessons will boost your speaking confidence

The lessons you learn in improv are valuable, and will improve your confidence as a speaker.

• In improv, you learn to think on your feet; this will hone your on-the-spot speaking skills too.
• Improv works best if you make the other participants look good; in speaking, you look good if you make the audience feel good about their chances to succeed.
• When you are having fun doing improv, the audience has fun too; with public speaking, the audience will enjoy themselves if you are enjoying yourself.
• In improv, you learn the outcome isn’t always controlled by you; the same goes with public speaking: you need to take the pulse of the audience continuously and adjust where necessary to keep them engaged.
• In improv, you practice and gain expertise in many speaking tools. Vivid body language to engage the audience; setting a scene and playing a character; good storytelling skills; and directing attention through asking questions are just a few critical speaking skills.

Try it out!

If you have the opportunity to join an improv course or workshop, do it. Or, gather a group of friends and hold your own event. Improv comedy isn’t as scary as it is made out to be. It is not just for performers but anyone wishing to become more confident in front of an audience. So, sign up and have a blast, and become a more confident speaker in the process.

Similar Articles You May Like... How to Thrive When Speaking Outside Book Review: Confessions of a Public Speaker (Scott Berkun) Are Your Speech Gestures Too Small, Too Big, or Just Right? Speech Preparation #7: Choreograph Your Speech with Staging, Gestures, and Vocal Variety 12 Days of Public Speaking Christmas 6 Communication Barriers and How You Can Avoid Them

Have a Question? Contact me anytime, or find me on Twitter: @6minutes

Leon van der Walt has been a member of Toastmasters in Johannesburg and London and has served as club VP of Education. He constantly seeks to improve his public speaking and communication skills and sharing what he has learned through his website. His guiding principle is that life is about communication, and having fun while communicating is what makes life worth living.

People at the back of the room kept saying, “Project!” and “Louder, please.” We were already having trouble hearing the speaker, even before the room was full of people, but their approach wasn’t working.

Frankly, I wasn’t surprised. Just telling someone to yell doesn’t solve the problem of projection. Similarly, just speaking louder doesn’t create a powerful voice.

The Three Key Components of a Powerful Sound

The key components of a powerful sound are:

1. personality,
2. passion, and
3. strong vocal physique.

The first two components are achieved by being yourself and by being clear about your intention. The third, through awareness and practice.

1. Personality

Personality is “you” and the unique gifts you share with your audience. Personality is the unique imprint your thought leaves on your voice, making it distinguishable from other voices and revealing things about your particular experiences and perspective. You cannot escape the revelatory nature of your voice. The essence of who you are is in your voice for all to hear.

If you want to be heard, it’s vital that you celebrate your authentic self. In a New York Times interview Ursula Burns, the impressive new head of Xerox Corporation, wisely remarked,  “I can’t try to say it in somebody else’s voice. I have to say it in my voice.”

2. Passion

Passion is the power of intention aligned with content and personality. We have already covered personality, so what about intention and content?

Content is simply what you have to say. It’s your message, your words, your ideas manifested in spoken form. Intention, on the other hand, is what you have in mind to do or bring about. It is why you are speaking in the first place, why you are standing in front of an audience, what you hope to accomplish. When intention, content and personality align, we have passion. And when there is passion, powerful things happen.

When a speaker is passionate, they seem authentic and genuine. For that reason, actors are trained to pour intent in their lines and speak with passion. We are so tuned in to this aspect of voices that babies as young as six months old can discern intention in voices. I have written about this subject in my blog.

If your intention is unclear, if it conflicts with your message or even with the reason people think you are there, your vocal power will diminish and you’ll lose your audience.

3. Strong Vocal Physique

Strong vocal physique is the ability to produce a vibrantly resonant sound and to have a good command of breathing technique.

Because sound travels on air, resonance and air are intimately connected in the voice. In an earlier Six Minutes article, I focus on good breathing technique for speaking. This is important because air itself makes the voice work. As you exhale, air moves from your lungs through your trachea (or windpipe). It then passes between your vocal folds (also called arytenoids and vocal cords) and brings those muscles together. As they vibrate, sound happens. You use your throat, tongue, lips, and jaw to shape the sound into words.

Now, if someone tells you to speak up, there is a good chance you will use more air as you increase your volume. That’s an improvement. But speaking more loudly may just come across as yelling — and you also risk straining your voice. It is more correct to suggest that you stand up straight, take a big breath, and use more air to carry the sound as you speak up, but that is a very long set of instructions for even the best of sound men! Better that you know what “project” means so you do it right.

Developing Resonance through Awareness and Practice

Resonance is the reverberation or repetition of sound in the environment in which it was created. When someone speaks, resonance is created in the body as well as in the surrounding area. The resonance in the body can be felt by the speaker. The two extremes of resonance are “head voice,” which is where high sounds resonate, and “chest voice,” which is where low sounds resonate.

However, most sounds the human voice makes can also resonate in the mask, or the front of the face. A voice with plenty of mask resonance is strong, and clear, no matter how loud or soft. A voice with good mask resonance is pleasant to listen to and flexible, allowing for rich vocal variety.

Mask resonance is a combination of nasal and mouth resonance. The sound you are looking for will produce a pronounced vibration in the front of your face.

Exercise…

Try it now. Say “Mmmmm.” See if you can feel the buzzy sensation in the front of your face. (I’ve had a lot of fun doing this on radio interviews.) That’s mask resonance. Another way to produce it is to simply say “Mmm-hmm,” like an enthusiastic “yes.” Now say, “Mmm-hmm one. Mmm-hmm two. Mmm-hmm three.” Can you feel that sensation carry over into the words “one,” “two,” and “three?”

Daily Practice…

Use mask resonance at the beginning of a sentence and try to keep that sensation in the words that follow. For example, say “Mmmmmm. It’s great to see you.”

Did you feel the resonance in the mask as you spoke “It’s great to see you,” or did it fade away?

Try it again. This does require some practice. Spend 20 minutes a day working with this, and add it to your awareness as you practice your presentations.

Don’t be afraid of nasal resonance, but know that you need a good combination of mouth and nose, which is why the focus is in the front of the face, not just the nose. If a voice sounds too nasal, it is as bad as one that has no mask resonance. Eventually, you will learn to use mask resonance all the time. As a bonus, according to Swedish researchers, mask resonance is also good for your health.

Being Heard

The next time someone tells you to “project” or to “speak up,” remember that projecting your voice is much more than just making it louder.

1. You project your voice by allowing it to shine with your personality, and having confidence that you have something unique to say.
2. You project your voice with passion for your message by setting a clear intention.
3. And you project your voice by developing a resonant sound that is supported with your whole body through air and energy.

When you do these three things, you will be heard.

Similar Articles You May Like... Breathing: The Seductive Key to Unlocking Your Vocal Variety How to Thrive When Speaking Outside Pump Up Your Speaking Voice with a Strength Training Workout Boost Your Speaking Confidence Through Improv Toastmasters Speech 6: Vocal Variety Speech Preparation #7: Choreograph Your Speech with Staging, Gestures, and Vocal Variety

Have a Question? Contact me anytime, or find me on Twitter: @6minutes

Kate Peters is a singer/actor, voice coach, speaker, and the author of Can You Hear Me Now? Harnessing the power of your vocal impact in 31 days. Through her presentations, seminars, workshops and private coaching, Kate helps executives, speakers, and performers find the strengths in their voices to better express themselves in their professional and personal lives. For more information, visit Kate’s blog.