The Seasonal Effects on our Voices

Lynda Stucky December 11, 2014 Develop Your Voice

Imagine the devastating effects of waking up on the day of your big presentation and finding that your voice sounds scratchy, hoarse and weak. Worse yet, it has disappeared completely! Nearly all of us rely on a well-functioning voice at work every day. If we were to lose our voice on any given day, the results could be disastrous.

How to Master Impromptu Speaking

Lynda Stucky June 12, 2018 Build Your Brand, Public Speaking

Sometimes the most dreaded “presentation” that people tell me they dislike the most, is impromptu speaking.  They fear of stumbling on words, sounding dumb, and drawing a blank when they are called upon to give an opinion.  There is something about unplanned presentations, which makes people want to crawl under the table and hide.  Believe me; you are not alone if you would like to become invisible when all eyes are on you to speak.  I get many requests from my clients to help with this skill (and it truly is a skill).  But let me assure you that you can develop it, if you are not at the level you wish to be.  Here are some pointers:

Those Pesky Word Fillers!

Lynda Stucky April 12, 2014 Develop Your Speech

Word fillers diminish your credibility!

Your audience will be distracted by them (instead of listening to you!)

Top 10 Successful Speaking Strategies to Use in Cross-Cultural Conversations for the Accented Speaker–Part 2

Lynda Stucky November 20, 2014 Build Your Brand, Reduce a Foreign Accent

Last week we discussed five tips for speaking in cross-cultural conversations.  Today, we explore the last five tips and tricks:

6. Pause periodically to give your listener time to process what you have said.
If you are making a few errors in your speech, the listener needs time to figure it out or “translate” what was said. Give your listener this time by pausing briefly.

Six Holiday Gift Ideas that Promote Language Skills

Lynda Stucky November 27, 2014 Develop Language, Develop Your Speech, Develop Your Voice

Are you looking for a unique gift this holiday season for the board game lover on your list? Whether it is for a child or an adult, a native English speaker or non-native English speaker, building language skills is important for anybody at any level. How about a game that promotes language skill development or vocabulary building and promises hours of fun and laughter with your friends, family or colleagues!

Communication Gifts That Your Audiences Will Love

Lynda Stucky December 24, 2014 Build Your Brand, Develop Language, Develop Your Speech, Develop Your Voice, Public Speaking, Reduce a Foreign Accent, Reduce a Regional Accent

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.

The Regional Accent of Picksburgers

Lynda Stucky February 11, 2015 Reduce a Regional Accent

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.”

Posture Yourself for Success!

Lynda Stucky March 4, 2015 Build Your Brand, Develop Your Voice, Public Speaking

How you stand, place your arms and feet and hold your head are indicators of how self-confident you are and whether or not you will be taken seriously. The first step in successful body language that conveys confidence is your standing position or posture. If you feel like it, stand up and get into neutral position:

Place equal pressure on both feet (no shifting from leg-to-leg).
Your feet are hip width apart.
Your knees and thighs are relaxed.
Your shoulders are back and down.
Your hands are comfortably at your sides.
Your chin is up and parallel with the floor.

A “Polished Speaker” Always Does This!

Lynda Stucky March 26, 2015 Build Your Brand, Develop Your Speech

Do you want to be called a “Polished Speaker?”  One characteristic of a polished speaker is enunciating clearly!

The acceptable pronunciation of any word is determined exclusively by its usage in the general population. But a dictionary can be a valuable tool to learn how to pronounce words. Pronunciation in the dictionary is represented by symbols of the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). If you’re not familiar with IPA, each symbol in the IPA stands for one sound. This is different from our regular alphabet in which one symbol stands for many sounds. For instance, the sound /a/ can be produced as in bad, bade, and ball. Mastering the IPA system will assist you in many ways, particularly when you need to look up a word.