Avoid The Top 10 Mistakes to get better CLARITY OF SPEECH
Any entrepreneur's ability to speak in front of an audience is essential. Your ability to promote and sell your company, your team, and your product in a variety of settings, repeatedly, is essential to your capacity to make a living. Despite the fact that this crucial ability receives less attention, without it, you are left with nothing, even if you are well knowledgeable about your company.
Here are the top 7 Mistakes to get better clarity of speech and have undoubtedly done myself at some point. You'll be in better shape than some of the best out there if you avoid them at all costs.
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Repeated or stuttering words, as well as filler:
These, um, filler words are common in spoken language. In casual interactions, words like "like," "uh," and "er," among others, are frequently used without being noticed. But when they are employed in formal situations, they stand out.
These words are what John West, the speech division manager at New York Speech Coaching, calls "vocalised pauses." Usually, people include these sounds in their speech because they believe that pausing will make their listeners stop paying attention. On the other hand, according to West, speakers who use a lot of "ums" and "uhs" tend to lose their audience the fastest, and a well-placed pause can grab the attention of listeners.
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Too rapid a speech
Nervousness frequently results in rapid speech, which can make it challenging to follow the speaker. That's particularly detrimental during a presentation, when clarity is crucial. Working with corporate executives, voice and speech coach Susan Finch in New York City claims that rushed communicators frequently wind up "mumbling, hurrying, and swallowing" their words. She advises customers to take a breath before speaking to address this. That straightforward move forces a natural pause in conversation and encourages the person to speak more slowly.
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Talking too softly.
The ability to project and speak loudly enough is a common issue for many. According to Sandra Kazan, a voice coach for executives headquartered in New York City, a person's capacity to project depends on their voice type. High-pitched voices, for instance, naturally project farther and better than lower-pitched ones. That, however, comes with trade-offs.
She notes that while a nasal voice may travel and likely project without any difficulty, it is incredibly unpleasant to listen to for any length of time. Similar to tempo, breathing deeply is considered to be the optimum solution for volume. When people ten up, their vocal chords compress, obstructing a smooth flow of air, and this causes projection issues.
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voice that is grave or vocal fry.
The phenomenon known as "gravelly voice" or "vocal fry" is becoming more and more of a problem, especially among young women. A person's voice takes on a creaky, gravelly character when the flow of air in their throat becomes impeded.
In a podcast on the subject by Slate, you may hear examples of such speech and a discussion of vocal fry. It's annoying, the commentators say. It is quite irritating. They continue, saying the result is known as "creaky voice" in linguistics because it "sounds somewhat like a door creaking or a hinge that needs oiling.
Coaches suggest it can be good to record yourself to understand when you're most prone to it. Vocal fry is best avoided by first realising when you do it, and then taking care to breathe enough before speaking.
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Stumbling at the end of sentences.
Ever notice how individuals get more silent at the conclusion of a sentence? Our society has a tendency to drift off at the end of phrases, clauses, and sentences. Important words can therefore easily be missed, and ideas may appear incomplete. Finch advises maintaining your point of view and the concept all the way to its conclusion.
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Uptalk, or posing questions as statements
Uptalk, or concluding a sentence with an upward pitch so that it seems like a question even if it is not, is another problem with communication. It is more prevalent in women, according to Kazan. When people utilise the name of another person, according to Finch, uptalk is used very frequently. According to her, "people frequently pose it as a question, as though they are unsure." The speaker comes across as much less certain while doing this. Those who have trouble with uptalking can tape themselves before trying to prevent their pitch from rising at the end of a statement.
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Making monotonous vocalizations.
Nothing turns off a crowd faster than a dull presenter. Because of this, vocal instructors advise against using a monotone, flat voice when speaking. In the voice, West says, "We want to hear a calm eagerness and a pleasant assertiveness."
By allowing for some fluctuation in the tone and colour of your phrasing, rather than going overboard with high and low pitches. And breathing and relaxing are the simplest ways to get that result.
Awareness is the first step in improving as a public speaker. Before you can make improvements, you must be aware of your speaking weaknesses.
We advise you to read this post again, then be completely honest with yourself. What aspects of public speaking could you improve? Once you've recognised your weaknesses, strive to get better each time you give a speech or presentation.
