If you are looking for a professional image, is the sound of your speaking voice helping that image or is it a detraction? Bear in mind, the voice I am talking about is the one you hear on your voicemail or answering machine and not what you hear in your head.
Sounding like a 12-year-old when you are over 21 does not make for a professional image. Likewise, if your voice is reminiscent of Brooklyn or the Bronx, others may not be that enamored with your whiny, nasal sound. Tempering the nasal twang or the childlike quality is something you should consider because your voice accounts for more than a third of the image you project.
I can't tell you how many great voices there are which I liken to a hidden gem. Unfortunately, most people are unaware that there is a better voice inside of them, just waiting to be discovered. Voices like that of Morgan Freeman, Kate Beckinsale, Felicia Rashad, Harris Faulkner, Diane Sawyer, George Clooney, and, of course, James Earl Jones are not an anomaly. They just happen to be powered by means of the chest cavity - the largest of our 5 vocal resonators.
Most people are not using their chest cavity when they speak. The results are voices that are higher in pitch, young-sounding (or at the other extreme old-sounding), and lacking in breadth or fullness of sound. In addition, the voice may exhibit excessive nasality or a lot of gravel. Possibly it is wimpy, weak, strident, hoarse, raspy, reedy, whispery, or shrill. It may be too loud or too soft; too fast or too slow.
However you describe your voice, there is a remedy. When I found my real voice, I was amazed at the difference in how I sounded and how I was perceived - certainly more mature than my 24 years. And that more mature sound got me the jobs I wanted in New York City as well as those I wasn't seeking.
What is fascinating about the speaking voice which is being powered by the chest cavity is that it improves with age. Nothing on your body improves with age except the voice which has had training. Through the years, it never ceases to amaze me how this works. And, it works for everyone. I liken the trained speaking voice to a bottle of good red wine. It just keeps getting better through the years!
Imagine discovering a voice like that of the actors and media personalities mentioned above. Imagine hearing your voice on your voicemail or some other kind of recording equipment and actually enjoying that sound. It's in there - it is just a matter of finding it and making it a habit. You may be surprised when you discover your hidden gem!
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