As we say goodbye to 2016 and welcome a new year, resolve to make communication your most powerful professional tool! Start 2017 off right by making these three basic, but indispensable communication resolutions:
Develop a Dynamic Voice: The quality of your voice can have an enormous impact on how others view you and receive your message. The foundation of a strong, dynamic voice is effective breathing. To get the most air possible with the strongest support, breathe from your abdomen, not your chest. As you take a deep breath, your chest shouldn’t rise; instead, your ribs and stomach should expand outward. Practice controlling how quickly you release your breath as you speak. The key to improving your breath support is awareness, so take the time to notice how you breathe and where your air is coming from. Once mastered, this technique will allow you to power your voice and leave an impact on your listener.
Eliminate Fillers: Fillers words and phrases like “um,” “uh,” “like,” “you know,” and “right?” can create an air of insecurity and significantly damage your credibility. For 2017, resolve to cut these words out of your vocabulary! Start by identifying which fillers you use, and in what situations you use them most often. Then work on replacing these fillers with a pause. Not only will pausing help you cut down your filler usage; it will also give your listener time to absorb your words and increase the clarity of your message. A good rule of thumb is to keep your filler usage to no more than two fillers per minute: any more than that and the listener will be paying attention to the distracting filler words rather than your message.
Keep It Clear by Slowing Down: One essential skill you can use to project confidence, clarity and professionalism is learning to manipulate your rate of speech. People tend to rush their words when they’re nervous or passionate about a topic, two situations that come up frequently when speaking in the workplace. Resolve to develop a controlled, even rate of speech. You will appear more confident and knowledgeable, and give your listener the impression that what you have to say has value.
What are your goals for 2017? Share your New Year’s resolutions in the comments section below!
Do you want to take your communication to the next level? Give us a call and see how Corporate Speech Solutions can improve your professional life! Call us at 212-308-7725 or send us an e-mail at info@corporatespeechsolutions.com to learn more. I’d be more than happy to answer any questions you might have!
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