On the Job by Anita Bruzzese Is the Sound of Your Voice Hurting Your Career

On the Job by Anita Bruzzese Is the Sound of Your Voice Hurting Your Career You may be surprised the first time you hear your own recorded voice. Who is that person who sounds like Daffy Duck? Why didnt anyone ever tell you that your voice makes you sound like a third-grader? Is your voice really so high-pitched its a wonder dogs arent howling for miles around? While everyone is taken a bit by surprise to hear his or her own voice, most people just shrug it off or try to convince themselves they dont soundthatbad. The problem is that your voice makes an impression on others, just as the clothes youwearor your body language convey a message about you. If youre working with a remote team, the impact of your voice is even greater as others cant can observe your body language or see your facial expressions. In theworkplacethe quality of your voice can be a deciding factor in your degree of success, says Leonard Mlodinow, author ofSubliminal: How Your Unconscious Mind Rules Your Behavior. The pitch, timbre, volume, speed, and cadence of your voice, the speed with which you speak, and even the way you modulate pitch and loudness, are all hugely influential factors in how convincing you are, and how people judge your state of mind, and character. Thats why you cant brush off the impression your voice makes on others. So, just as you put time into your professional dress, conduct andpresentation skills, you need to devote more energy into improving your voice. Studies show that, just as peoplesignal the basic emotions through facial expression, we also do it through voice, Mlodinow says. Here are some tips from vocal coaches on how to improve the sound of your voice to make a better impression on your team: Speaking faster is better.The University of Michiganfindsin a study that those who speak at a rate of about 3.5 words per second were much more successful at getting people to agree than those who talk very fast or very slow. Researchers find that people are more distrustful of those who speak too quickly, while those who talk too slowly are perceived as not too bright. Control your pitch.Those whose voice pitch rises and falls too often arent seen as animated, but rather as fake and trying too hard, the study finds. Lisa B. Marshall, author of Smart Talk: The Public Speakers Guide to Success in Every Situation,saysits not easy to change the natural pitch of your voice, but you can keep it as low as possible by taking slow, full, deep breaths and trying to keep any nervousness under control. Lower your voice.Just listen to movie trailers and youll hear how often deep voices are used to convey messages. The Michigan study found (read more here)