The Sound of Your Voice | "Speak up! I Can't Hear You" Article

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Speak Up! I Can't Hear You!
By Dr. Carol Fleming

Joe was new to reporting in front of co-workers. You could see how earnest he was, that he had prepared detailed notes. He wrote a lot of figures on the white board, talking all the while. At least, people guessed he was talking. All they could hear was a mumble.

Sometimes we get so focused on the information we want to give that we forget the necessity of delivery – getting the information out to where the people are listening. (Sort of like writing a letter and then not mailing it!)

“We can’t heeaarrrr you!”

If you get this response from your audience this article is for you. People will give up in frustration if you don’t learn to direct your message outward to your listeners.. You are asking them to work too hard to understand you. This is a big mistake. Unless they are already very motivated to get your information, they have a lot of other things they can fantasize about while you’re up there.

What I Told Joe...

Always talk to the people in the middle and the back of the audience. The people in the front will hear you just fine.

Look at these people in the eye and talk directly to their faces. This accomplishes several things:

You have much more credibility as a speaker when you talk directly to people
It helps them pay attention to you
Since the voice goes where the eyes go, the guarantees that you will automatically jack up your volume to reach those eyes.

When you turn your back to the audience and talk while you are writing on the board, you are directing your voice…where? Into the board and not out into the room.

You need to always stay oriented to the people you are talking to. See if you can have the written information already put on the board or easel (or PowerPoint) before you speak; then you can point to items and still stay facing your audience.

Anytime you have to read from your notes you probably have your head down and your voice going down into the paper. You don’t want to do this.

You need to have your face up so the voice can be projected out into the room.

Have only the briefest of notes to work from, only what you absolutely need to
keep you on track. Put these notes on 3x5 cards that can tuck into your pocket.
Even if you intend to memorize your material, having the notes will keep you from worrying about forgetting something. As long as you are anxious, carry your notes.
Have these notes writ LARGE and BOLD so you need only glance at them
to ‘get’ your information and then get your eyes back up for eye-contact with your listeners.
Always be reluctant to tear your eyes away from your listeners; keep in close
contact with them at all times.

People need to hear you before they can understand you. Period.

Contact us today to discuss how our workshops, coaching and training products can improve your Personal Professionalism and Communication Impact.

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