Born to roar? Follow your inner voice
Are you a charismatic leader born to roar or an introvert who is nervous when speaking in front of a big crowd? No matter what kind of leader you are, research suggests that staying authentic to who you are and mastering the ‘science’ behind the voice can enable you to control your body responses and speak in a way that resonates with each audience.
To elaborate, how you make sounds, your diction and breath, affect your credibility and image as a leader. Developing a leadership voice is about embracing flexibility, becoming an influential and dynamic role model and creating a compelling and unique leadership brand. In order to discover your leadership sound, follow your voice of character. This inner voice is constant and consistent, shapes the way you are, and ultimately determines your personality as a leader.
The Multiple Sounds of Leadership
Everyone can design their voice of clarity, connection, context and curiosity and use it in different situations to inspire, engage and channel others more productively. Do not anchor yourself to one voice but explore the many voices that will enable you to be fully authentic while addressing different kinds of audiences.
For each voice, find an example of a situation when you used it or a context when bringing a certain voice would have had a positive impact.
Action Point
Think of a time when you were required to speak in front of people. Did your voice let you down? How could you have better prepared and/or used a certain type of voice to communicate effectively?