Habits that make you Sound SMARTER!
Very often, we make judgement on people based on how they speak, the way they say things and how they interact among other people.
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| Image from Google |
But before I begin, Did you know that when someone speaks our brain goes directly into detective mode? It pieces together information such as education, intelligence and wealth and all this help us sound smarter than we actually are!
Back to the tips here are the following:
1. Work on Posture
2. Avoid Mindless Language
Speaking in buzzwords, cliches or trying to impress people by using 'difficult' words without a correct sense of meaning, portrays a lack of original thoughts.3. Speak Loudly but not Forcefully
Projecting your voice takes time and practice, but speaking loudly in a way that it reaches to people at the far end of the room is a great tip for Sounding SMARTER! It is very IMPORTANT not to shout as it ruins this image and puts your listeners on the edge. 4. Pay Close Attention to your Voice
By listen closely to your voice, you can use it as your weapon of force. Think about the voice that makes you... the force that you use, the ease of sounding confident at what you are saying to make it even more convincing to your fellow listeners5. Avoid 'Vocal Fry' and any other Vocal Irritants
People are assessed primarily on how they sound. Any annoying vocal habits affect negatively on how a person is perceived. There are mainly 2 irritants - the uptalk - where statements are perceived as questions due to high rising intonation and the vocal fry - where one end words in a raspy growl. Both convey insecurity about oneself and negativity.6. Don't be afraid of SILENCE
Sometimes when someone talks, it is easy to notice the silence that follows that most probably leads to embarrassment for the speaker but as Harold Pinter observed, "one way of looking at speech is to say that it is a constant stratagem to cover nakedness." Hence, pausing for a few seconds, emphasizes and adds thoughtfulness to your speech.7. Don't Weigh in UNLESS You have something to ADD
If you are speaking about a certain topic that you only have basic knowledge of, then do not EVER EVER wander into a deep discussion as it will only result into you being portrayed as an ignorant person. If you find yourself into a similar situation, just try to steer the conversation into a familiar ground where you can speak at ease and share your knowledge!
To conclude, even though most of us cannot change our voices outright, we can change our habits to reach a sense of eloquence which in return transforms you into an intelligent, engaging speaker in the eyes of those in front of you!
In this sense, its NOT about WHAT you say but its all about HOW YOU SAY IT!
