Effective verbal communication at work is a critical contributing component to professional success.
Many professionals, in particular females, ask how they can use their voice to sound more authoritative and empowered.
The most important component of training the voice for confidence relates to the breath rather than the voice.
The breath is what breathes life into the voice. The voice is possible because of the breath. Without a calm, smooth, natural rhythmic breath, the voice will be strained and the sound it makes will be strained as well. A strained voice does not promote confidence or authority.
Therefore, training the breath is priority number one. The goal is to have a calm breathing pattern, which allows for calm and confident communication with the voice.
I practice the following breath-calming techniques with all my clients:
Hand Over Heart Technique
Many people experience fear when communicating with others, especially in the workplace. The very first physical reaction of fear starts in your brain and goes straight to your heart. Your heart begins beating very fast. If you can calm the heart immediately, all other physical sensations will decrease and be diminished.
When you calm your heart, you won’t sweat, shake, or lose your focus, or your words. When your breath becomes calm, your words will become calm, too. Those who speak calmly in the workplace, are seen as figures of authority.
You can also use this technique before you have to communicate with someone about any topic, whether it’s a written communication or you want to ask a question in class. Here’s how to accomplish this:
- Place your hand over your heart.
- Take a deep inhale and hold it, then pat your heart gently with your hand three times.
- Exhale and repeat 3 more times…
- Take a deep inhale and hold it, then pat your heart gently with your hand three times.
- Exhale and repeat 2 more times…
- Take a deep inhale and hold it, then pat your heart gently with your hand three times.
- Exhale and repeat 1 more time…
- You can repeat this as many times as you need to calm your heartbeat. The more and more you use this technique, the quicker it will work for you. Pretty soon you can simply put your hand over your heart and it will immediately calm down.
Visualization Technique
Your brain creates visual images in your mind. It takes the words that you use, even the silent words, and paints an image.
Allow me to demonstrate…I’m going to say a word to you and you are going to try your absolute hardest NOT to picture an image of that word in your mind.
Ready?
Cupcake.
DO NOT imagine a cupcake with white icing and sprinkles on top…don’t do it, think of a rainbow in the sky instead. No, don’t think of a rainbow…
Do you see how it’s nearly impossible not to create images in your mind?
Because you are able to create images, the visual imagery is going to be amazing and positive, and predictable (The brain does not like anything that is unpredictable. With this technique, you are actually going to predict the outcome of your communication).
You can begin TODAY by replacing any unpredictable negative images in your mind with predictable positive images. Here’s how to accomplish that in a few simple steps:
- Sit in a quiet space where you will not be disturbed.
- Set your phone alarm for 5 minutes.
- Close your eyes then take 3 (three) deep breaths inhaling slowly, exhaling slowly.
- Bring to your mind the image of a movie theater screen directly in front of you.
- Play on that movie screen positive images of you speaking clearly, concisely, and confidently. See those that you are speaking to nodding their heads, they are smiling at you and their eyes are engaged with your eyes. See how thankful they are that you are talking to them, and engaging with them. See any other people around you smiling, too, nodding their heads, and engaged in what you are saying. See that everyone leans forward to hear more of what you are saying because they are so interested.
- I suggest practicing this at least once a day – 5 minutes is all you need. You can increase the time to as long as you prefer and you can do this more than once per day.
Mantra Technique
Mantras are easy-to-remember statements of affirmation we make to ourselves. Your mind believes exactly what you tell it, it’s a program remember? With a simple to remember and repeatable mantra, we are re-programming our minds to believe what we tell it.
Here’s how we integrate the Mantra Technique:
- Think about your top three fears with communication. Write them down. Replace them with their exact opposite statement. For example, if you fear that if you speak up in class people will laugh at you, your mantra can be, “When I speak, people pay attention to what I have to say.” If your fear is that you will stutter or forget the words when you want or need to speak, your mantra can be, “I am clear and concise every time I speak.” If your fear is that you will sound stupid when you speak, your mantra can be, “When I speak I sound intelligent and people believe I am smart because of what I say.”
- Once you find the right mantras or statements for you, write them down in your journal and repeat them every single day, especially when you are doing something that doesn’t require your full and undivided attention such as taking a shower, brushing your teeth, cleaning your room, walking your dog, etc.
- Every morning, just after you brush your teeth, look at yourself in the mirror, and repeat your mantra(s) several times while looking yourself in the eye