4 Core Tools That Top Speakers Use
The word Abracadabra means “As I speak, I create.” When you get up and speak in front of people, you are creating whole new worlds of possibility.
Great speakers get back to basics and make sure they have full command of the foundational elements that ensure powerful delivery. These include:
· Enunciation
· Voice Modulation
· Breath Control & Projection
· Pace
1. ENUNCIATION is the clear pronunciation of consonants and vowels. Great speakers ensure that every syllable is pronounced distinctly.
Clear enunciation is often reached through resistance. Holding a pencil between your teeth and saying a sentence will make you aware of your enunciation patterns. The tongue and lips have to work harder to produce the sounds. (Like running with ankle weights). Clarity is key. A great tool we use is recording our talk and listening back which allows us to hear enunciation mistakes and correct them.
Exercise for you to try:
Hold a pencil between your teeth and say “How much curry can a great chief add if the kitchen is all out of curry. Not enough curry to satisfy the chef who must have curry in a hurry.” Next say the full phrase normally and notice the new precision and refinement of your enunciation. *Thanks to Elaine Clark for the tongue twister.
2. VOICE MODULATION includes Pitch, Tone and Projection.
Pitch is the frequency of your voice which can be mid or high. Pitch is controlled by the air from your lungs and the vibrations of your vocal cords. Using different pitches helps to emphasize certain words and phrases.
Tone is about changing your mood throughout your speech, for dramatic effect. Variations in tonality make your words more memorable which inspires audiences to repeat them when they’re talking about you.
President Biden is a master of Tone. Within a single debate, he easily switches from telling a joke in a happy tone, to flinging an insult in a serious tone, to telling a poignant story in a solemn tone.
Projection is important because it shows your confidence, credibility and enthusiasm. Proper projection enables your voice to reach the audience without straining or shouting. Even when you’re using a microphone, one needs to project properly. This will help avoid vocal fatigue and ensure that everyone can hear you – even at the very back on or the far sides of the room.
Exercise for you to try:
To improve your pitch, try humming scales. Start with a low, comfortable pitch and slowly move up and down either one note at a time or sliding up and down. You can also improve your pitch by mimicking bird sounds.
To improve your tone, read passages and texts aloud with different emotions or extemporaneous storytelling. You can also try tongue twisters like: “Bubble gum, double bubble gum, triple double bubble gum, quadruple triple double bubble gum.”
To improve Projection, experiment with lip trills. This includes making a buzzing sound by blowing air through your closed lips. You can do this at different pitches and volumes. You can also pronounce vowels clearly with exaggerated articulation with the intention of greater projection.
3. BREATH CONTROL is the key to masterful speaking.
Breathing properly is essential whether you’re speaking with someone in a noisy networking event, pitching all day long on a trade show floor, or presenting on stage. Breathing not only calms your nerves, it helps you to avoid running out of breath.
To use breath to support your voice, you need to engage your diaphragm. This is the muscle below your lungs that expands and contracts when you inhale and exhale. This is your golden ticket to being a great orator.
Exercise for you to try:
To practice breathing with your diaphragm, stand up nice and straight, place one hand on your chest and one on your abdomen or stomach. Next, slowly breathe in through your nose, filling your stomach with air. Your chest should remain quite still and your stomach should rise. Breathe out slowly through your mouth, emptying your stomach of air. You can also strengthen the muscles around your vocal cords by practicing hissing sounds. Inhale deeply, then exhale with an ‘ssss’ sound.
4. PACE your speaking.
Persuasive speakers control the speed at which they speak, slowing down and speeding up for dramatic effect. Don’t rush through your talk. This is actually one of the biggest mistakes we see speakers make. Good pacing gives your talk an exciting sense of rhythm, helping the audience really “get” you and engage with you.
Silences are important too. There’s nothing like a well-timed pause, to give your listener a chance to really absorb what you’ve just said. The most powerful moments I have on stage connecting with an audience are when I am silent.
Exercise for you to try:
Along with timing yourself, a metronome is a great tool that you can use to set a consistent beat or cadence to your talk. You can speed up or slow down as the metronome will help you gauge the degree of your changes in speed. You can also try chunking your sentences into smaller segments or phrases. This helps prevent rushing through your speech.
Other tips for great speaking include having a powerful opening and closing to your talk, maintaining good eye contact, and using gestures strategically to have greater impact.
While your talk will be memorized, you want to make it as natural and conversational as possible. The more deeply you internalize the message you are delivering the more passion your listeners will feel behind the message, and the more they will be moved to action.
As Maya Angelou famously said, “People will forget what you said, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Try these exercises and let us know how it goes. You can also bring us in to work with your team to help level up communication and presentation skills. You can reach out at info@CuratedEntertainment.biz