Public Speaking – Is your diction LETTING YOU DOWN?
Today, I'd like to ask you a question…. is your diction letting you down?
Speaking with more clarity, making sure that your diction really does help you articulate your message, can make a huge difference.
How do you sound when you talk?
Early this week, I was running a workshop called "The Speakers Toolkit". It's a module that is included in my "Six weeks Speaking Success" and my "Get Clients With Speaking" online programs.
On this occasion, I was running a live workshop on the topic, and one of the areas that we looked at was diction. I asked one of the participants in the workshop to read a nursery rhyme and it sounded perfect, we could understand everything that he was saying. But with just a small amount of focus on the speaker's consonants, he suddenly sounded so much crisper, clearer and more articulate. This guy went from sounding like a regular person to sounding like a Shakespearean actor.
Not everybody wants to sound like that on the stage, but imagine having that tool at your disposal.
When you're making a really key, important point that you want everyone to take in, you can really up the ante on your diction and make sure that every single word is punctuated and articulated clearly.
And then, go back on how you usually speak. It'll make the audience sit up and listen. And if you find it difficult to alter the volume of your voice, as some people do, changing up your diction can be a secret weapon. You can highlight key words and phrases in your talk by speaking them in an extra crisp and clear way.
Next time you rehearse a presentation, think about how you say every word.
Enjoy the words, feel them in your mouth.
Think about how they're sounding and how you're expressing your message.
Choose the key words and phrases that you'll emphasise verbally and practise saying them with extra clarity and intensity.
The audience will hear the difference and they'll pay more attention.
One way to improve your diction is using a pencil. All you have to do is put it into your mouth, hold it between your teeth (see the video for a demo) and speak with the pencil in your mouth for a minute or two. It will make harder for you to speak, your mouth has to work harder.
When you take your pencil out of your mouth, you'll hear the difference.
Speaking with the same amount of effort when the pencil is out of your mouth will automatically lead to better diction. Your words will be pronounced more clearly.
Practise this exercise for a few days before you make your next presentation. You'll hear the difference!
Having great diction isn't just for actors. Use it as a tool to add emphasis and to highlight key words and phrases during your next talk.