Developing a Professional Voice

A voice can be described in different ways, the most common definition is the sound being
produced when you speak or sing, however, a voice can also be what your opinions are. Furthermore, there is a relationship between confidence/confidence building and the sound of your voice.

This article will therefore highlight my opinions on a professional voice.

Having a professional voice is the first step in categorizing your voice for the workplace. The importance of having a professional voice is that it makes you credible, authentic, organized and it gets you coordinated for a presentation, job interview, business meeting, as well as impromptu meetings.

Developing a Professional Voice will improve your ability to engage, connect & persuade when communicating with internal & external audiences. The Professional Voice gives you the confidence and skills to deliver your message effectively. Based on my experience and research in social identity complexity (as related to the work place especially when an individual has various roles) one of the ways to categorize your identity is to develop these professional voices:

The unapologetic voice:

The unapologetic voice enables you stand your ground against all odds in a meaningful yet respectful manner. The unapologetic voice make you voice out your values and beliefs in order to set boundaries. Finding this voice gives you confidence in your beliefs and helps you communicate effectively.

The appealing voice:

When it comes to finding the right tone to ask for a favor, we may all seem to have it but have you ever thought of that tone being misleading? The best way to go about it is being straightforward about what you need and also concentrate on asking with more percentage of your voice than your body language to avoid miscommunication. 

The approachable voice:

Many people struggle to maintain a good first impression but what about a lasting impression? Your approachable voice should make others feel comfortable to have a discussion with you without having to think of how they might need to please you first. Using words like Hello, it is a pleasure meeting you, how may I help you and having your concentration on the person you are communicating with goes a long way in developing an approachable voice.

Leadership voice:

As a leader, your major aim will be getting your followers to work together to achieve a common goal. Over the years, leaders have adopted various styles that can enable them achieve this fundamental goal. These leadership styles can be seen as either an active voice or a passive voice.

- Active voice: Participating and coaching style is when a leader is actively engaging in the duties of the team either by working with the team or helping the followers overcome the obstacles and challenges they are faced with by coaching them.

- Passive voice: Directing and delegating style involves the leader assigning duties to each of the team members. Usually, leaders start by being actively involved in the teamwork and when the leader feels they are ready to work on their own, the passive voice is used to direct and delegate.

Remember, your voice is most effect when the message in the sound of your voice is unambiguous, clear and concise.