Avoid wasting your money until you are ready. Let me explain…
You’ve decided that you have some communication issues that you would like to improve upon and a coach is the solution to help you achieve your goals. Resolving to make change is a wonderful goal but too often, people with best intentions are unable to achieve their goals. Too often, we have unrealistic goals and don’t realize how difficult change can be.
Some people may argue that Americans have learned to be sloppy speakers because they aren’t very precise with their diction and reduce or eliminate sounds and words. But we often minimize/eliminate sounds logically and conveniently to create a smooth, natural flow of speech. Here is an example…
While many things can go wrong in a presentation, don’t forget to consider all the things that you do well to awe your audiences. Here are 12 speech, language, and voice gifts to “give” your audiences every time you present. They will love you for it!
1. Optimal pitch–The pitch you speak at every day is your habitual pitch level. But does it match your optimal pitch level? The optimal pitch is where you vocal cords function their best. Too low or too high can be hard to listen to and could damage your vocal cords and make you hoarse.
In my area of the country (Pittsburgh, PA), we have a very special way of talking. People born and raised here have an unusual accent known as “Pittsburghese.” People who are not from this area instantly hear this accent and detect differences that include: word and phrase substitutions; inaccurate vowel pronunciation; and use of non-standard grammar.
One of the most obvious hallmarks of Pittsburghese is the way the vowel /ow/ is pronounced. This particular vowel is actually two vowels that glide together to make a new sound called a diphthong. In this case, the two vowels are /ah/ as in “pot” and /o/ as in “joke.” Say the two vowels slowly and you will make the /ow/ sound as in “out.” In Pittsburghese, the second sound is omitted so the word “down” sounds like “dahn.”
We were rolling through the woods on our bikes when a large obstacle on the trail appeared around the bend. I had been experimenting with and practicing a new skill that I had learned (bunny hopping over logs) so when I came around that bend, I told my friends that I was going to jump it. A bunny hop is launching your bike into the air as if jumping off a ramp. The pedals on the bicycle “stick” to your feet as the bike becomes airborne. You can bunny hop over some pretty large obstacles by doing this correctly.
