One Skill That Cuts The Confusion

Do you know many people mumble when they talk? Their enunciation is less than desired, and often their lack of enthusiasm to connect with you is matched by their non-eye contact!

I often wonder how on earth they get their message across in their muddy speech!

In cultures that do not encourage the young to speak up candidly results in their growing up and being shy to speak up clearly. That's why they hold their Voice back. Never being sure of themselves, they mumble so as not to stand out.

However, being shy does not cut it.

In these days of intense competition, not only is there local and national competition, but it’s also international. The ability to enunciate and speak with confidence is absolute in helping you to forge ahead.

Many people are lazy in pronouncing their vowels and consonants. Speaking English well has a rhythm to it, and each word gently abuts the other. The sound of music comes from our voice and how we enunciate our words and string them together.

Whether we bore or enrapture others depends on how we pronounce our words and speak with clarity and rhythm. It is a choice.

Many speakers who slur their speech are guilty of not moving their lips, jaw, tongue or increasing their buccal cavity to give a more rounded, pleasant, authoritative voice.

Basic exercises like, “How now, brown cow” and “The rain in Spain falls mainly in the plain” will, in a matter of weeks, produce a voice that is sharper, clearer, and more pleasant.

After all, if we consider the voice as the spirit of our soul, surely we should pay more attention to this.

As professionals, we speak to influence, to persuade, to inform, to place an idea or message into the listeners' minds. When we do not start off with a simple message that is clear, heard, understood, acknowledged, accepted and acted upon, there is little chance of change happening.

It all starts with the clarity of your broadcast. Speaking clearly is a skill. A vital skill for all professionals. Most people take speaking for granted, habituated into their current level of speaking.

Remember that what may come naturally, may also be your downfall when you need your spoken word to influence and persuade others.

Have you ever struggled to understand someone who mumbles their message?

Did you find it easy to listen to? Was it clear enough? Why?

What did you wish the speaker did better?