Voice Confident's Triple Take - your fortnightly trio of tips!
VOICE: articulation
A key to clear articulation is a relaxed tongue muscle. The tongue helps us to form almost all the speech sounds we make.
To release the tongue root, polish the outsides of the teeth with the tip of your tongue. Start at the back and the top - go round the top teeth to the other far side and then round the bottom teeth so you are back where you started. Do this 8 times in one direction, then 8 in the other (ie. bottom teeth, then top teeth). Then 4 times one way and 4 the other; 2 times one way and 2 the other; 1 time one way and 1 the other. It may become quite uncomfortable but keep going if you can to the end. You will need to swallow because of the saliva produced in the mouth during this exercise and it can help to stick out your tongue and say "ah!". If you speak immediately after this you will feel like you have 'extra room' in your mouth and that it takes less effort to speak clearly.
PRESENCE: asymmetric hand gestures
If you want to introduce a new idea or get your audience or interlocutor to 'think outside of the box', use asymmetry in your hand gestures - either by moving one hand only or by making different shapes with different hands or by moving one and then the other. These asymmetrical movements are engaging and encourage alert attention, as opposed to symmetrical gestures, which tend to reflect and elicit calm and agreement.
CONFIDENCE: know your purpose
Whenever you are speaking in public - in a team meeting, say, or to an audience - make sure you know WHY you are speaking. The two best questions for this are:
Re: the subject: WHY? (Why do I care? Why do I need to say this?)
Re: the audience: WHY HERE? (Why am I saying this to these people, here and now?)
Work these two things out and you will find you naturally explain yourself clearly, concisely and persuasively.
