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“The success of your presentation will be judged not by the knowledge you send but by what the listener receives.”
– Lilly Walters (author in the speaking industry)
Using your vocal tools will help you build a more interesting voice and ensure your listeners receive your message.
What’s the first thing we often do with our voices if we want to get someone’s attention? Yes, we increase the volume. Parents, you’ll relate to this. Let’s say you’re asking your child to pick up something. You ask them to pick it up three times, each time increasing the volume. How often does this strategy work?
With that scenario in mind, increasing our volume can’t be our only vocal tool. As facilitators, there are more effective ways to add to our voices.
One tool we can use is changing our vocal pitch. We often get stuck in the middle, where our voices become monotone. This often leads to learners tuning us out during our presentation. Our goal should be to speak more dynamically and authentically, using as much pitch variation as possible.
Vocal inflection or emphasizing words is another tool we can use to deliver content more effectively. As facilitators, we can use an upward inflection to highlight certain words. This makes it easier for our listeners to understand our message.
We can all get in the habit of mumbling. Working hard to pronounce each word clearly and enunciate each sound, syllable, and word correctly is essential if we want our learners to understand us. Proper enunciation also exudes more confidence in your presentations.
Mark Twain once said, “The right word may be effective, but no word was ever as effective as a rightly timed pause.” Pausing is a powerful tool to facilitate understanding. Every time you pause, you allow the audience to reflect on your words.
Use these vocal tools (pitch, inflection, enunciation, and pauses) to engage your audience and ensure your ideas are communicated clearly. Your learners will thank you for it!
For more tips, techniques, and opportunities to practice and get feedback on your presentation skills, register for Instructional Techniques for New Instructors, The Virtual Trainer, or Facilitation Skills. There’s a workshop for all your delivery needs.
