Vocal Branding: How Your Voice Shapes Your Communication Image | Wendy LeBorgne | TEDxUCincinnati

Summary

The speaker discusses the concept of 'voice brand,' emphasizing how the sound of our voice influences others' perceptions of us. They highlight five key elements that shape a voice brand: intensity, inflection, rate, frequency, and quality. These elements impact how we are perceived in personal and professional settings. The speaker explains how variations in these factors can lead to judgments about one's confidence, authority, or even intelligence. By training these aspects, individuals can strengthen their voice brand and make a lasting impression, much like athletes perfect their physical skills.

Takeaways

• 🎤 Your voice plays a critical role in how others perceive you, influencing judgments about socioeconomic status, intelligence, and engagement.
• 🗣️ Just like a thumbprint or facial features, your voice is unique and forms a crucial part of your personal brand.
• 📊 Intensity of voice, measured in decibels, affects how you are perceived, ranging from aggressive to shy depending on loudness.
• 🎶 Inflection or intonation adds variety and interest to speech; a lack of it can make you sound uninterested or unsure.
• ⏱️ Speech rate impacts perception; talking too fast can cause agitation, while talking too slow can seem condescending.
• 📈 Frequency, measured in hertz, influences how authoritative or intelligent you sound, especially for women whose vocal pitch impacts perception.
• 🎧 Vocal quality ranges from clarity to hoarseness, with unique voices often being more memorable or appealing in professional settings.
• 📉 Glottal fry, a common speech pattern, particularly among upper-middle-class women, can negatively impact job prospects due to unpleasing voice qualities.
• 💡 Voice biometrics technology is used by some employers to screen candidates, filtering out voices deemed unsuitable before an interview.
• 🏋️‍♂️ Your voice can be trained using exercise and motor learning principles, just like an athlete, to enhance its effectiveness and impact.

Q & A

What is the main message of the speaker in this transcript?

The main message is that our voice is a crucial element of personal branding, and people make judgments about us based on how we sound. The speaker emphasizes the importance of understanding and optimizing key vocal elements like intensity, inflection, rate, frequency, and quality to enhance our personal voice brand.

Why does the speaker compare a voice to a thumbprint or facial features?

The speaker compares the voice to a thumbprint or facial features to highlight its uniqueness and how it serves as a key component of one's identity and personal brand.

What are the five key elements of 'voice brand' discussed in the transcript?

The five key elements of 'voice brand' are: 1) Intensity, 2) Inflection, 3) Rate, 4) Frequency, and 5) Quality.

How does intensity affect how people perceive your voice?

Intensity affects perception by influencing how assertive, shy, aggressive, or enthusiastic a person is perceived. For example, a louder voice can be seen as aggressive or enthusiastic, while a softer voice may come off as shy or uncertain.

What is the role of inflection or intonation in voice branding?

Inflection or intonation makes speech interesting by varying pitch and tone, helping to avoid sounding monotonous or uninterested. A lack of inflection may suggest boredom, while exaggerated inflection can make someone sound unintelligent.

What impact can the rate of speech have on a listener's perception?

The rate of speech affects how listeners perceive the speaker. Speaking too fast can make the listener feel anxious, while speaking too slowly may come across as condescending. A varied pace can make speech more engaging.

Why is frequency an important factor in voice branding?

Frequency, or the pitch of the voice, affects how a person is perceived. Higher-pitched voices can be perceived as young or less authoritative, while lower-pitched voices are often associated with authority and leadership.

What is vocal quality and how does it affect voice perception?

Vocal quality refers to the clarity or roughness of a voice. Unique qualities like hoarseness or glottal fry can affect perception, with some unique qualities being more appealing or memorable depending on the context.

How has societal change, such as the women's liberation movement, influenced vocal frequency?

After the 1960s, the average frequency of women's voices lowered in the U.S. as women began to assert themselves in male-dominated spaces. Lower-pitched voices are associated with authority, which helped women compete vocally in professional settings.

What does the speaker mean by 'voice biometrics' and how does it relate to job opportunities?

Voice biometrics refers to technology that analyzes vocal features to assess how pleasing a person's voice is. Companies may use this technology during hiring processes, and if a voice does not meet certain criteria, it could prevent someone from getting an interview.