The most irritating radio voice

I love listening to voices; they reveal so much about a person - age, where they come from etc. We all have personal preferences for the type of voice we love listening to, and George Bernard Shaw was correct in saying (I've simplified this) that as soon as an Englishman opens his mouth, he will always find someone that dislikes him. This is somewhat harsh but people are prejudiced about certain accents; voice types- or even gender. I saw the following article about the voices on radio that listeners particularly disliked.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/celebritynews/8304155/Who-has-the-most-irritating-radio-voice.html

As you can see from the article, certain voices provoke a strong emotional response - with some people being quite rude about individuals, who are essentially strangers.

Having a 'unique' sounding voice CAN be useful - think Janet Street Porter or Brian Sewell; their voices and speaking styles are part of their persona. However particular voices could be detrimental to an individual - for building their personal brand or for creating a negative emotional response when they speak.

It is difficult to receive feedback from people you know well about your voice, but asking for constructive feedback on this area from your boss at your annual review is a good way to be self aware. Also courses Executive Voice offer opportunities to discover how effective your voice is in different situations without provoking negative emotional responses.

If you wish to be an effective speaker, here are a few pointers to ensure your voice is working for you.

• Speak with clear diction. Make it easy for people to listen to you.
• If you have a strong accent - whether it be a regional accent, Toff's, speaking English as a second language, speak slowly and clearly to make it easy for people to listen to you.
• Watch your pitch; if you speak with a high pitched voice it is more difficult for a number of people - particularly men - to listen to you.
• Be aware of your listeners' ears; they might be used to listening to a southern accent and will need to 'tune in' to another accent. Speak slower and be aware of not using regional slang.
• Make your voice interesting to listen to; a monotone drone will send people to sleep!
• The voice isn't just about the sound of the voice but also the way you deliver your speech; be engaging with your body language - inviting people to listen to what you have to say.
• Record yourself speaking. Be honest with yourself; do you have a nasal or unpleasant tone in your voice? Would it annoy others? If so, do something about it.
• Always smile when you speak; it lifts up the voice making it more engaging for others to listen to.

Speak to executive Voice if you would like some individual training to make your voice interesting to other people. Visit our website or call us on 0844 576 3015 for more information.