Article excerpted from The 7-Day System for Gaining Self-Confidence, Popularity, and Financial Success by Dexter Davis, 1955
You sell your ideas with words, but the actual vehicle that you use is usually your voice. Have you ever checked up on your voice appeal?
Your voice has powerful emotional effect on your listener. If it is pleasant, your listener instinctively feels a certain amount of goodwill toward you. If your voice is disagreeable, the listener has a tendency to want to get away from you.
This is simply human nature. We don’t like squeaking, rasping, nasal, indistinct, monotonous, or otherwise irritating speech. We put up with it only when we have to.
Advertisers know that a soothing, buoyant radio voice can sell much more of a product than a monotonous, dull voice. And of course, a radio voice that is squeaky, rasping, nasal, or indistinct would be lucky to sell anything.
Yes, your voice has dollars and cents value in your career. It is a success factor in all of your human relations.
Don’t think that your voice is unimportant simply because no one has ever criticized it. The effect of voice is a subtle thing, often specifically unrecognized by the hearer. And even when it is noticeably faulty, “your best friends won’t tell you.”
What can you do about it? First of all, hear a recording of your voice. Notice your speech habits for several days. Then ask yourself these questions:
- Do I speak at a pleasant volume, or too loudly or softly?
- Do I vary my tone or speed, or are they even and monotonous?
- Do I articulate my words clearly, or do I have “lazy” lips, tongue, and jaw?
- Do I slur my words when I am enthused, or do I retain clear articulation?
- Do I make use of effective pauses?
- Do I have a clear, pleasing tone, or is it nasal, hoarse, squeaky, or otherwise unpleasant?
- Is my voice expressive or do I talk about everything in almost the same mood?
- Does my voice always radiate confidence, or does it give me away when I don’t feel sure of myself?
Be honest and searching in answering these questions. You have accomplished something when you know and admit your faults. Then correct them. Anyone can do it with determination. However, it may be necessary to consult a voice teacher or book for helpful exercises.
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Do these ideas from Dexter Davis actually work?
A True Story:
I recently had a job interview by phone. Do you know what the corporate recruiter said to me over and over? “You speak with such great confidence. I know you can do this job.”
I later spoke with the associate provost. My interview skills (ability to provide cogent and succinct responses to questions) along with my vocal quality impressed him also.
What happened?
I got the job!
I didn’t meet with the corporate recruiter or the associate provost face-to-face. All interaction was by telephone. Yes—I submitted a strong resume and professional references; but without dress appearance, eye contact, body language, and firm handshake, how else could they make a decision?
They made their decision based on the quality of my speaking voice: clarity, pitch, loudness and projection, color and variety.
They said yes!
Thus, I was able to “sell” my experiences, skills, and accomplishments based on the strength of my vocal quality.
“There is no index of character so sure as the human voice.”
–Benjamin Disraeli
What does your voice reveal about you?
To find out, play a recording of your voice and answer the questions suggested by Dexter Davis.
And then . . .
What are the rewards of an effective speaking voice?
- Credibility. Change perceptions. Project a more competent and professional image through clear, distinct speech.
- Confidence. Express your ideas, feelings and opinions with boldness.
- Control. Gain power over two of the most important tools of interpersonal communication—your voice and articulation.
Through practical, easy-to-use exercises and techniques, you’ll discover how to develop a voice that is intelligible, flexible, vital, and expressive.
No question, a pleasing, expressive, confident voice adds valuable emotional impact to your words. Add it to your assets!
