Say It Like You Mean It

Sharon Edwards: president, Edwards Communications

by Colleen Biondi

Back when she was an on-air radio personality, Calgary-based Sharon Edwards grilled some very smart people on some very big ideas. But whether they were writers or academics, politicians or executives, invariably some guests were uncomfortable in the studio setting. Worse still, a few seemed to lack confidence in what they were saying. For her, it made interviews awkward, and for her audiences, it muddled the message. So after leaving a 25-year career in public and private broadcasting, she started Edwards Communications in 2004, hoping to pass along her vast expertise in presentation and, specifically, voice control. With clients in the corporate, non-profit and post-secondary education sectors, Edwards’ goal is to make information as user-friendly as possible. And while that’s largely just a matter of breaking things up into bite-sized, key messages, the presenter’s tone is just as important in successfully getting ideas across. In other words, it really is all in the delivery.

AV: Why is voice so important?
SE: Because your voice is a barometer of how you feel about yourself. Consider when you ask a friend how she is feeling. If she says, “I am fine,” with energy and enthusiasm, you believe her. But if her tone is flat, you might wonder if she is – in fact – all right. If you do a lot of work on the phone, this is a critical issue.

What is the most common voice problem?
I hear a lot of “up-speak.” Sentences sound like there are question marks at the end; the voice goes up instead of staying steady. This is a speech pattern with unintended consequences. If you sound like you are not sure of what you are saying or like you are asking permission for your own opinion, people will question your authority.

How do you coach someone out of up-speak?
I lay out the intellectual reason why it doesn’t work. “You sound like you don’t know what you know,” I’ll say. But this will not do the trick by itself. You need to bring awareness to what you are doing. Have a trusted friend send you an unobtrusive signal when you are up-speaking. Practice. Put a period at the end of your sentences. Instead of your voice going up a notch, keep it level. This is where flat is good.

What is the biggest voice change that you have noticed in a client?
When someone can break through an old belief system. Perhaps they had a bad experience as a child reciting in school and they have never felt confident speaking in a public forum. This perception has held them back. But once they learn how to sound confident, the message comes across so much more effectively. When someone gets rid of that tight, pinched-up, “I’ve just got to get through this” feeling and begins to feel relaxed when imparting information, that is gratifying.

What is your favourite famous voice?
Barack Obama. He has a good voice and an excellent speaking style. He speaks in short phrases and waits for his audience to catch up with his message; he is not afraid of pauses. His voice sounds rich, he varies his tones and puts inflections in key parts – you can hear and feel his passion.

What is your least favourite famous voice?
Fran Drescher [star of the 1990s TV sitcom The Nanny]. Her voice is like taking all the air in your lungs and funnelling it through your nose in a half second. What advice would I give Fran? Move the sound out of your sinuses, which are the size of walnuts, and into your mouth or throat, which is a bigger resonating chamber.

How about a final voice tip?
Remember to breathe.

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