From the course: Public Speaking Foundations

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Develop vocal variety

Develop vocal variety

- Some of my friends who have small children sometimes express exasperation. They've read their child a dozen bedtime stories and their child will not fall asleep. They always want just one more story. I like to tell my friends that they're probably being far too interesting and entertaining to put their children to sleep. We tend to use more vocal variety when we talk to people we like. A few friends have challenged me to come over and read their child a bedtime story, and when I do, I make sure to speak in a soft sing-songy voice. Now, as an adult listener, you might be tempted to run out of the room screaming if I talk like that in a business context, yet you'll find some speakers performing what I call the business speech equivalent of a lullaby, that monotonous tone and a lack of dynamic range. It can make your audience fight to stay awake. Instead, think of using vocal variety in three key areas. The first key area is volume or dynamic range. The most fundamental way to gain…

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