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How To Sound Powerful? Being Good at Voice Control Vs Sounding Powerful
Motivation Behind This Thread
It seems that there are overlaps between being good at voice control and sounding powerful & dominant.
I started this thread to explore what are the factors that make an individual sound powerful when he/she speaks.
I think you can be a powerful, power dynamics savvy person with good voice control, but there are still ways to narrow down & focus on what can make you sound more powerful.
Of course like all singular aspects of being more power savvy, sounding powerful is not enough to become more influential.
Just like how you can't just have good posture and climb the corporate ladder.
Though both the voice and posture help a lot in crafting your powerful, executive demeanour.
The Factors In Sounding Powerful
When it comes to speaking and sounding powerful, a lot of other aspects come into play on top of the voice in order to deliver a persuasive, powerful presentation.
Voice is only one aspect, although it is a very important aspect.
The section on executive demeanour in Power University and the article on exuding exec-level confidence illustrates this point very well.
Especially the points on speaking:
- More Declarative Sentences, Fewer Questions
- Avoid Speech Weakeners
- Cut Preambles, Go Straight To The Point
- Use Logic Or Data
- End With Your Suggestion (& Avoid “Laundry Listing”)
- Think, Then Speak (& Don’t Think Out Loud)
- Introduce Yourself With Full Name & Surname + Title
For example, Lucio mentions all these solid points in his video:
#1. Walk Confidently On Stage
#2. Approach The Host With A Mix of Warmth & Confidence
#3. Confident Handshake (Don't Let The Host Upper-Hand You)
#4. Start With A Frontal Stance Towards The Audience
#5. Don’t Lavish Compliments (If You’re A Junior Presenter)
#6. Stay Vocally Neutral (Don't Go Up)
#7. Avoid PowerPoint
I believe Roger Love has mastered the other aspects & nuances of sounding authoritative.
Here's an example of his clip:
This allows him to exemplify himself as a thought leader and brand his voice courses in a very impactful manner.
As Lucio reviewed, Roger Love is savvy in power dynamics as well from his advice on dynamics in meetings.
Because I realised if voice is the only aspect, why are there singers and speakers who sound great but not necessarily sound convincing, and authoritative?
In this aspect, what Roger Love says about the tone and body language making up 93% is not really true as Lucio has reviewed in the Speaking Pro course.
Practising and rehearsing your presentations' content religiously do make a huge difference in your final delivery.
Posture
Learning good posture allows you to come across more powerful.
And people look at the whole package.
So by standing up with a good posture, it adds to the perception in people's minds that you are a powerful speaker.
Power Dynamics Awareness
Being good at power dynamics also allows you to understand how to use the right combination of pitch, volume, rhythm etc for your voice.
And also reading people's expressions, responses, body language during the presentation.
Relevant Threads
Basics of Voice
Maximum Resonance Point: The Voice of Power
Vocal Practice
