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We love that FedEx
ad where the team leader asks for ideas to cut costs. One meeting
participant suggests using FedEx. But he speaks with no conviction
in his face or voice and no one pays attention.
When the team
leader says the exact same thing with lots of conviction in his
voice and face, everyone raves.
To see the ad click here.
Such scenes happen
over and over again in business. People with great ideas get no
credit because they don’t speak with passion about their ideas.
At Speechworks we
constantly urge our clients to improve their
presentations by ramping up their energy as they
speak. But as the FedEx ad suggests, that same advice goes for
meetings as well. Just because you’re seated around a conference
table, doesn’t mean you should speak in a monotone.
Where do you fall on a "one to 10" scale?
Think of your voice
energy as being measured on a scale of one to 10. One is how you
might answer the telephone when it rings in the middle of the night
and you’ve been asleep. A 10 is how you speak when you’re extremely
excited and talking with a good friend. That 10 is “Maximum You.”
We urge our clients
to speak with “Maximum You” intensity all the time, especially
during meetings.
If you’re not sure
how to do it, try varying your volume and your speed. Make your
voice go up and down like a roller coaster.
As an exercise,
read this paragraph, emphasizing certain words, varying speed,
getting soft, and throwing in the occasional pause.
That variety is
what makes for an interesting voice. More importantly, that variety
is what sells your ideas and helps keep others from taking credit.
At Speechworks we
help our clients learn how to communicate in a way that connects and
persuades. If you’re interested in becoming a great communicator
give us a call at 404-266-0888 or check out our website at
www.speechworks.net. |
