Your Tone of Voice is a Door Opener

How many times have you fantasized the face behind a voice that you hear on the radio or television? Almost all of us have.

Sometimes, we picture the speaker as honest and trustworthy, like Walter Cronkite, the American news broadcaster. When he died, reporters described him as the voice America trusted.

Sometimes, because of the person's tone of voice, listeners envision the person as friendly or a straight shooter. They like the person, even though they don't personally know him or her.

One's voice is a "door opener" if it leaves the right the right impression.

Many of us as business people invest much time communicating via the phone. We may be part of a global team and do not typically interact with our colleagues face to face. Some of us may serve clients who want to discuss their issues or needs.

Since our voice is the only thing listeners have to assess knowledge and credibility, warmth or friendliness when communicating via phone, it is important to assess the quality of your tone of voice and work at improving it if necessary.

Recording oneself on a phone call or playing back voice mails before sending them are good ways to conduct self evaluation and coaching. Asking others, particularly our leaders, for feedback on our tone is another way. If there have ever been any complaints about your voice, take them seriously; then do what a professional would do - work at getting better on a day to day basis.

People whose voices exude all the right things have learned to pause and take a breath at appropriate points. Sometimes, they pause for a second at the end of their thought or statement. Sometimes, it is longer if they really want to emphasize a point. Pauses break long sentences into digestible ‘sound bites’. Every time they pause and breathe, they bring richness, clarity and emotion into their voice.

People who are broadcasters or seasoned politicians, of course, are masters at pausing and breathing. It is in their muscle mind so they don't even think about it. All they focus on is getting their message across to their listeners.

For those of us seeking improvement, we must work at this until it feels comfortable. We can rehearse our presentations to our team, read written marketing pieces, or even tell bedtime stories to our children, all the while recording ourselves, especially with the wide range of recording applications available today.

We must do these types of things until improvement is noticeable. The Hall of Fame basketball champion, Michael Jordon, says he consciously strove to get better by practicing his skills and never becoming complacent.

Your voice says a lot about who you are. Make sure it presents you in the best light by having an impressive tone of voice. It's a "door opener."