Harvard Business Review Guides Ultimate Boxed Set (16 Books)

Communicate with Your Voice

Your voice is multitalented. It can sound:

• Assertive: Firm, unyielding, significant, focused
• Cautious: Measured, enunciated, understated
• Critical: Harsh, angry, upset, pointed, caustic
• Humorous: Comedic, light, novel, irreverent
• Motivational: Uplifting, encouraging, friendly
• Sympathetic: Emotional, moving, personal, delicate
• Neutral: Casual, technical, dispassionate, informative

And it does all this through pitch, tone, volume, pacing, and enunciation.

Many business presenters have a dispassionate vocal style, assuming that it makes them sound objective or authoritative. But a flat delivery will bore your audience. Instead, create contrast—and emphasis—through vocal variation. You can do this on your own or by tag-teaming ...