By: Leland Williams
Importance of Voice
What can our voice reveal about us? Our background, intelligence, personality, and ultimately our power. As soon as you open up your mouth to speak people are forming an impression of you, judging you. They are deciding whether you are worthy of listening to in mere moments. Perhaps a harsh statement, but all too true. A 2014 study from Glasgow University in Scotland posits that listeners develop impressions of you in less than a second. One second! That’s one ‘hello”! So why, do so many underestimate the importance of voice? Well, firstly, we humans rely heavily on our sense of sight to process information and therefore put more time and thought into how we look to others rather than how we sound to others. Secondly, the very act of speaking can be a harrowing experience. It can make us feel incredibly vulnerable, allowing a glimpse into our very soul. Who wants to feel like that? We won’t feel like that if we acknowledge our voice. A muscle of such importance, no matter who we are, needs care, exercise, nourishment and love.
Voice Work is for Everyone
Voice work isn’t just for singers and actors. Voice work is for all; the young sales associate learning to pitch, the executive addressing stock holders, the high school Senior at countless college interviews, or even the tenuous child desperate to be heard. Politicians, teachers, religious leaders, the list is endless. We all have the right to speak, to be heard. We all have the right to have a free and powerful voice that exudes confidence, authority, that could inspire and lead the world to positive change. It’s true! Your voice can bring positive change, for yourself, your business, and yes, even the world.
Finding and Improving Your Voice
I have spent the last two years working with Patsy Rodenburg and her apprenticeship master teacher certification program in voice and speech and now am a RRT Teacher. Ms Rodenburg is known as the world’s leading expert in voice and speech. Finding my own voice and the connection it has to the world was an incredible journey and one that I am very proud to have made. Improving your voice is possible, but for many the voice needs to be found first. I have had the privilege of working with a group of high school students for the past 6 months.
It is a slower process than usual. Vulnerabilities are at an all time high. Voice work takes courage and trust and these brave students allowed me to lead them in their own journey to find and connect to their true voice. Through a series of practical exercises and activities that fuse together the dynamics of body, breath, voice and language these young people have developed stronger more vibrant voices. They learned techniques to keep their breath low and to maintain a relaxed body even under pressure. In addition, they can now identify and overcome unwanted habits such as vocal fry, vocal swallow and “up talking” (a teen favorite). These daring teens are now more confident, articulate and are developing a stronger sense of self. They can stand up for themselves and when you can stand up for yourself you give others the opportunity to stand taller too. What an impact! All that, just by utilizing and exercising the voice.
Benefits to Voice Work
Building confidence and expanding self-awareness were just some of the many benefits for those high school students. But, voice work benefits all. RRT training will enhance leadership skills, garner trust and authority, help develop and establish genuine presence. One of the greatest assets of voice work is the ability to communicate and connect effectively and sincerely. And those physical habits hampering your voice? They will diminish revealing a positive, fearless voice. A voice that can lead, lift others up, influence outcomes and voice concerns. A true authentic voice, unique to you.
It is not too late to make a New Years resolution and start working on your voice. I have over 125 exercises in my repertoire. Here are a just a few to get you started:
Align your body. Just being aware of the weight of your feet on the floor is incredibly grounding. Unlock your knees and align them with your feet, hips, and shoulders. The old adage of imagining a piece of string gently pulling at the top of your head works surprisingly well.
Relax your neck and shoulders. This can be done anywhere while standing on line at the coffee shop, sitting in your office or about to take the LSAT”s. Take a deep breath and squeeze every muscle in your body, from your toes all the way up to the top of your head. Hold for five seconds and release your body and breath simultaneously. This works!
Lower your breath. Many of us breathe from our chest. But this hinders breath intake, expansion and needed support. To lower the breath try this simple exercise. First, hug yourself and flop over gently from the waist. Knees slightly bent (as always.) Now, take three deep breaths, then let your arms drop. When you roll back up you will feel your body naturally take lower, more expansive breaths.
Yawn. That’s right! Yawning naturally opens the back of the throat. Yawning and humming for just two minutes can do wonders for your speaking voice. Just like warming up a car before driving, gently intoning in this way will help eliminate effort when you have to speak. Now you are ready to go and share your voice!
This is just a very brief work out that when practiced can be done in less than five minutes!
When you empower your voice, you empower your body and soul. What better way to start a new year? For more information on voice work, speaker coaching, and discovery, contact Leland Williams at LelandWilliams.com.
