worth thinking even about your breath. • Mind your manners . How you stand, move and make eye contact, all say something about you. Pay attention to posture. The best thing you can wear is a smile. Looks matter; and looking good is a mark of respect to the people
you are meeting.
Vocal resources The quality of your voice is also important. Volume, pace and
pitch are the three core elements of our voice; we instinctively
read a great deal about a person from our perceptions of these
three vocal dimensions.
• Make yourself heard . You will probably be speaking against a babble of other voices. Direct your voice clearly at the other person; if they look as if they are straining to hear you, help by raising the volume a little. • Slow down . Articulate clearly and don’t gabble. Rushing your words will indicate nervousness or lack of interest. Use the breathing techniques mentioned in Chapter 7. • Lower your tone . A thin, high-pitched voice will suggest a lack of authority or confidence. It’s not easy to alter the tone of your voice convincingly; but if you breathe deeply and evenly, and feel your voice rising from the centre of your body rather than from a constricted throat, your tone will acquire strength and – well, body! ( c) 2011 Kogan Page L imited, All Rights Reserved.
176 Improve your Communication Skills Beware also the irritating habit of ‘uptalk’: the creeping tendency to end explanatory sentences on an upward inflection, as if asking a question. (Its fancy name is the ‘high-rising terminal’.)
