Number 9: Signing With Feeling.
February 27, 2012
Everybody knows the monotony of the monotone. In the previous post we talked about speaking with passion. This doesn’t mean you should be pounding the air with your fists as you speak, or holler hallelujah every two minutes. It also does not mean you should imitate Donald Duck for effect. This communications tip is about keeping the conversation or presentation interesting through changing the levels or pace of your voice and adding movements and gestures that are authentically your own.
The average North American speaks about 100 to 125 words a minute. Presidents Obama and Clinton speak about 90 words a minute, as do many people from the Southern States. Some languages, such as French, can be spoken at more than 250 words per minute, which is similar to auctioneers. Audio books are read at about 150 to 160 words per minute. I have heard that adults can comprehend anywhere from 300 to 700 words. Personally, I think it is closer to 300 or 400. Your pace is uniquely yours. However, if you are a slower talker, try to get to the point in fewer words.
I have read that American Sign Language is done at about 200 words. What I did not understand about signing until I was doing a session with a group of people who were deaf is that “tone” is conveyed as much as the words. So if someone was signing for me she was kind of acting like me as well. As I became emphatic when I was stressing a critical point, or slowed my speech when I thought the point was more complex they would mimic my pace and style in a different way. A bit disconcerting the first time you realize that it’s happening. Makes you feel a bit like that children’s game where someone mimics your every movement. It reinforced that how we appear and sound is as important as the words we say.
Almost everyone today has video capability or access to someone with a phone or digital camera that can tape you in action. Check yourself out to time your speaking voice and get a sense of how you sound.
Most people are surprised at the sound of their own voice. It seems to translate in a different way inside our skulls. When you listen to yourself on tape, here are a few things to consider:
Is the voice clear and is it easy to differentiate each word? If the words come out mumbly or too quiet, learn to enunciate and project more. Pretend you are talking to someone who is a bit hard of hearing and step it up a notch.
Is there any “upspeak”? Upspeak sounds a bit Valley-girlish, meaning sentences tend to end sounding like a question. You would be amazed at how many seasoned business people, men included, do this. If you cannot stop, get some coaching on this one. It is a total career limiter.
Do you enjoy hearing this voice? Is the tone pleasant or does it grate due to a high pitch or squeakiness? Women tend to have higher voices that escalate when they’re excited or nervous. I swear many female politicians do not succeed because they end up sounding shrill and turning off the public. Taking your voice down a few octaves is quite simple if you concentrate. Try pulling your voice from deep in your lungs versus high in the throat or through your nose. Nasal voices can be as irritating as the scratchy ones.
Deconstructing your own voice and style is not easy. Neither is having someone else tell you they are not crazy about how you sound. You are who you are and part of that includes your voice. Recognizing how your voice impacts on your success at communicating is important. It is so unfair to have a “Goldilocks” factor going on (too soft, too harsh or too high, too low) and nobody has ever mentioned it. Is anyone out there willing to sharing how they overcame a voice challenge? Please do tell.
I have read that American Sign Language is done at about 200 words. What I did not understand about signing until I was doing a session with a group of people who were deaf is that “tone” is conveyed as much as the words. So if someone was signing for me she was kind of acting like me as well. As I became emphatic when I was stressing a critical point, or slowed my speech when I thought the point was more complex they would mimic my pace and style in a different way. A bit disconcerting the first time you realize that it’s happening. Makes you feel a bit like that children’s game where someone mimics your every movement. It reinforced that how we appear and sound is as important as the words we say.
Almost everyone today has video capability or access to someone with a phone or digital camera that can tape you in action. Check yourself out to time your speaking voice and get a sense of how you sound.
Most people are surprised at the sound of their own voice. It seems to translate in a different way inside our skulls. When you listen to yourself on tape, here are a few things to consider:
Is the voice clear and is it easy to differentiate each word? If the words come out mumbly or too quiet, learn to enunciate and project more. Pretend you are talking to someone who is a bit hard of hearing and step it up a notch.
Is there any “upspeak”? Upspeak sounds a bit Valley-girlish, meaning sentences tend to end sounding like a question. You would be amazed at how many seasoned business people, men included, do this. If you cannot stop, get some coaching on this one. It is a total career limiter.
Do you enjoy hearing this voice? Is the tone pleasant or does it grate due to a high pitch or squeakiness? Women tend to have higher voices that escalate when they’re excited or nervous. I swear many female politicians do not succeed because they end up sounding shrill and turning off the public. Taking your voice down a few octaves is quite simple if you concentrate. Try pulling your voice from deep in your lungs versus high in the throat or through your nose. Nasal voices can be as irritating as the scratchy ones.
Deconstructing your own voice and style is not easy. Neither is having someone else tell you they are not crazy about how you sound. You are who you are and part of that includes your voice. Recognizing how your voice impacts on your success at communicating is important. It is so unfair to have a “Goldilocks” factor going on (too soft, too harsh or too high, too low) and nobody has ever mentioned it. Is anyone out there willing to sharing how they overcame a voice challenge? Please do tell.
Providing constructive criticism is prime territory for my next post on delivering bad news — the CCO and bad news template. Check in next week to discover a scientifically proven method of sharing controversial, sensitive or high stress information in a way that helps versus hurts the recipient with The Mom Factor.
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1 comments
Hi Della. I just wanted to mention that I went to a training session for work in which we recorded ourselves speaking and played it back to time our WPM and to see just how easy we were to understand. It was VERY interesting. And, you're right, I sound quite funny to myself!
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