Voice and speaking skills for dummies

Karen Trem

Education + Training

ISSN: 0040-0912

Article publication date: 9 August 2013

529

Keywords

Citation

Trem, K. (2013), "Voice and speaking skills for dummies", Education + Training, Vol. 55 No. 6, pp. 617-619. https://doi.org/10.1108/ET-02-2013-0019

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2013, Emerald Group Publishing Limited


Voice and speaking skills for dummies was written by Jenny Apps, a professional voice coach and Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) trainer. She has 20 years’ experience working in the field with a prestigious list of client companies. The target audience for the book is broad, with the tips and exercises working just as well for those wanting to develop one‐to‐one conversational skills, and those needing to project their voice and their message to a large auditorium. The book is accompanied by a CD containing 30 easy to follow vocal exercises.

Specifically, this book is a practical guide on how to make the most of your voice; in fact, how to find your voice, and use it to successfully express yourself. , suggests “voice improvement is accompanied by a new inner confidence […] when your voice is strong and expressive, doors open for you”. She draws on her coaching and NLP skills as well as her experience of voice work to create a guide that is packed with facts, tips and practical exercises. The CD is a useful accompaniment as it guides the reader through key exercises in the chapters, giving an auditory illustration of how to achieve the best results from the book.

The book is well structured, starting with an introduction to the voice and working through to “giving presentations”. It can be read in order as an interesting and logical progression, building up knowledge on a sound foundation of basic skills. However, it can also be dipped into as a reference guide, as each “part” can be read and understood autonomously. There are six “parts” to the book which contains 20 chapters, so each “part” is effectively subdivided into a small number of chapters. Each part begins with a humorous cartoon which sums up the content.

The layout is clear, with icons in the left margin illustrating whether the reader is to “try”, “listen” to a speaker live or on the internet, “refer to the audio track on CD”, “read a real life anecdote”, “remember” an important point or read a practical “tip”.

The layout of the book, in its clear parts, chapters and identified activities makes it easy to pick up and work with, however much or little time you have. The language used throughout is straightforward and accessible, and as would be expected, the audio tracks are clear, easy to understand and a useful compliment to the book, encouraging practice. After all, application of this topic is crucial, without application of the knowledge, there will be no personal change. The CD, though separated into tracks can be listened to as one continuous piece. There is no indication on the CD as to which part of the book is being referred to at any time, and there is no clear break between any of the material. However, there is a table in the book (pp. 351‐352) which lists the tracks and the chapters they refer to.

The CD is packed with information and illustration, however, as it has no breaks in it, and no clear structure, it requires the listener to stop and start the track if they wish to do an exercise or practice what has been covered. It would be useful to have some “breathing space” on the CD to enable easier practice or “multi‐tasking” such as practicing whilst walking, ironing, etc. when one cannot easily stop and start the tracks.

Because there is so much information in this book and because developing the voice is a lifetime journey, this is a book to own and to keep referring to, it is not a book to borrow and read once.

Chapters 1‐3 form Part 1 of the book. Together they set the scene in terms of the value of being able to express oneself vocally: both personally and professionally. Apps gives the reader an idea, right from the start as to how powerful the voice can be if used well. Through the voice, a person can express many different meanings and influence people's perception of them and the value of what they have to say. She also encourages the reader to listen to themselves and to others and to notice the power of the voice to influence both positively and negatively. It is by understanding one's own voice and the impact it has, that one can begin to work on it and develop greater success.

Part 2 consists of Chapters 4‐6 and concentrates on the basics of using the voice. These chapters are enabling, with just enough technical information about how the voice and body work, and plenty of exercises to explore the voice and its impact. Breathing is key, and time is spent working on how to breathe, how to relax and how to make a variety of sounds by breathing in different ways. Having worked on basic sounds, Apps then shows the reader how to apply the basic skills to speaking words and sentences. She refers frequently to classical poetry, and to Shakespeare showing perhaps that the enduring power of the words lies both in the words themselves and in the way that they are spoken, and words emphasised to add drama and emotion.

“Playing Your Instrument Well” is the heading for Part 3, which contains Chapters 7‐10. Here the message is vocal variety using volume and pace, rhythm and musicality – building on the metaphor of the voice as an instrument. Apps encourages the reader to practice everything, and by cleverly using Elizabethan insults and words that are not in common usage, there is no self‐consciousness, but a sense of freedom to use the voice and literally play with it.

In Chapter 8, the reader is encouraged to put words to the tune of a nursery rhyme, illustrating the difference that harmony can make to meaning and encouraging a multi tonal rather than monotone voice. The focus on resonance and power in the voice in Chapter 9 links back to earlier work with breathing, and in Chapter 10 the reader is encouraged to take full ownership of their voice and give themselves permission to use it effectively. Although this technique of referring back that is used by Apps may at times have a feel of repetition, it is in fact a clever way of linking the work that has been done, and demonstrating the connectedness between all of the exercises.

Shaded boxes throughout the book refer the reader to points of interest and anecdotes, encouraging further reading and exploration. Indeed, there is a list of further resources relating to the voice in Appendix A on pp. 345‐350.

It is not enough just to know how to use the voice well, what refers to as “voice gremlins […] nearly always connected to your emotions” and “vocal sabotage” which can develop into unconscious habit. Whether it is mumbling, being tongue tied, gabbling, over controlling the voice and reactions, or squeaking and talking shrilly, working on the voice, the body, posture, relaxation and breathing can help. Accents define who we are, they are like a vocal fingerprint. There may be times when it is useful to be able to adapt an accent; speak less broadly to engage with a wider audience. Chapter 12 works through the impact of accent and gives an understanding of how to use one's own to the best advantage.

The film The King's Speech brought stuttering to the attention of the public, and demonstrated the extent to which it can be controlled or improved. The link between self‐esteem, feelings and emotions and stuttering is explored in depth with the now familiar range of practical exercises to work with.

The fifth part addresses engagement with a broader audience: speaking in public. Covering everything from planning, understanding the audience to vocal projection, this is a practical guide full of advice, whether the audience is formal or informal, large or small.

Of course, conversation is speaking with an interactive audience of one, and in the most effective conversations, there is a healthy flow of speech between participants. Listening skillfully is a key part of this process, and works with the reader to apply the principles of effective speaking to conversation, negotiation and team work. She finishes with a chapter entitled “cultivating your personal voice” considering the application of vocal skills in such contexts as leadership, teaching and education and the caring professions.

And finally, how to sound more authoritative acts as a summary of some of the key points from the book; using what has been learnt in order to speak with greater authority and with charisma – how to connect with the audience. There are also a number of useful tips which encourage the reader to look after their general health, relaxation, breathing and posture and to look after their voice. Reference to ten inspirational speakers reminds the reader at the end that although much of the focus of the book is working on your own voice – listening to others is a constant source of learning and both vocal and personal development.

I would recommend this book to anyone wanting a step‐by‐step guide to improve their speaking skills and confident communication. The book is packed with useful information and the greatest challenge to the reader is not in the reading but in the application of all the learning. Judy Apps gives all the encouragement and information, the rest is up to us.

Reference

Apps, J. (2012), Voice and Speaking Skills for Dummies, John Wiley & Sons Ltd, Chichester.

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