A compliment that rings in your head years later.
A critical comment that can’t stop hamster- wheel cycling in your brain. Or heart.
Voices stick. In our ear, our brain, our emotions.
I’ve seen leaders use their live voices to…
- Shift a room of clients from skeptical to enthusiastic
- Give critical feedback with such warmth that the person left glowing
- Paint a future vision that feels worthy to dedicate your lifeforce toward
Why? What is happening neurologically when we hear voices rather than read language? And how can/should this inform our leadership communication?
Here, for you, are four facts about the spoken word and 3 things you need to implement voice in your leadership moments.
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FACT #1 We perceive familiar voices to be authentically human.
I don’t know about you, but every social media post, substack article, and YouTube video I see, my attention shifts when I get a whiff of AI. But when I pick up the phone and hear a friend’s voice, or turn to a recognizable podcast, I never wonder who is actually speaking. Though that may be changing soon, (and I’m glad my friends aren’t testing their voice agents on me), right now we feel sure that the familiar voice we hear is being spoken directly from the person we think it is.
We trust the voice.
FACT #2: Bodies can conceal.
If you’ve been in any of my speaking delivery workshops, you know about the importance of direct eye contact, generous hand gestures, and open-shoulder posture. These gestures send a message of ease, confidence, and leadership.
But to discern the real story under the surface, listen without the visual cues.
Researchers from the Yale University School of Management set up numerous studies in which participants were asked to detect the emotions of a speaker. Some groups watched the speaker’s body language and voice, some just saw the body language, and others only heard the voice with no visual cues.
The participants who only heard the speakers more accurately recognized the (confirmed) emotions of the speakers.
The voice expresses through pitch, tone, volume, speed, placement, content, and more. Controlling all of these elements to mask an emotion takes an extreme level of both practice and focus.
The voice shares what is happening underneath the surface.
FACT #3: Speech reveals a “More Thoughtful Mind”
We humans are quick to dismiss others, and judge them as “other” or “less than.” In 2017, academic researchers wondered how to help humans overcome this pattern.
Imagine yourself having an argument with someone of opposite political views. I find my own mind slipping quickly (and embarrassingly) into labels like “dumb,” “ignorant,” “stubborn,” “inhumane,” “short-sighted.”
Researchers had people of one political viewpoint have their ideas recorded on video. These statements of belief were then shared with folks from the opposite spectrum. Some watched the whole video, some just heard the voice, and some just read the transcript. When the listening group read the transcript, their perceptions of the speakers as “other” or “less than” held strong. But when the listeners heard the viewpoints expressed through the speaking voice, they perceived them as more thoughtful and of a higher mental capacity. Interestingly, the addition of video didn’t shift perceptions further.
The researchers concluded,“Perceived intelligence and humanity may be uniquely conveyed through the voice.”
FACT #4 Sound is touch at a distance
Have you ever watched water in a glass with booming music nearby? Concentric ripples dance across the surface.
Sound moves things.
Let’s look closer at how these sound ripples enter our brain. When we are listening, sound crosses a space, enters our ear canal, moves the ear drum tissue, nudges tiny bones, taps the cochlea, vibrates a salty solution, shifts teeny hairs, twitches neurotransmitters, which then our brain interprets as sound.
If a friend speaks a comforting word, or a stranger says a harsh comment, or a mentor gives warm praise, those words feel like they reach inside our brain.
Because words in a real way they do.
Sound moves us.
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What does this mean for your own leadership communication?
What do you need to augment your ideas through sound?
- Courage
Yes, it feels easier to write the email. Sending a text feels frictionless. Picking up the phone carries a weight. (For me. You too?) Take a breath. Send the voice memo. Dial the number. Speak and listen.
- Time
Yes, changing the flow of keyboards and emails can feel like a speedbump in the day. You may need to block off a calendar spot. You may need to stop and take an actual 3o seconds of rest to change directions. But the whole of what you share through voice (trust, ease, confidence, excitement, care) would take paragraphs to write (and would they really be read anyway?). - Preparation
Voice shares and perceives emotions. So, take a second to prepare. What do you want to feel through this communication? What do you want others to feel? What state do you want to be in after the call/voice memo/video exchange that is different from when you began?
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What we’re doing with voice & audio next.
Because of these advantages and powers of the spoken word, we’re leaning into audio to share ideas with you.
Last month at the end of our newsletter, we talked about our new audiobook and podcast projects. We shared a link to a survey to help us focus our work on what you need.
Here is some of what we learned:
- You are listeners!
Over 82% of responders tap into audiobooks or podcasts regularly. - You want good storytelling!
The #1 reason for you to listen to podcasts and audiobooks is great storytelling. - You are learners!
When you turn to audio-learning, you want fresh ideas about the world and new skills for your work life.
The survey is strengthened with every entry, we’re continuing to collect responses and we’d love to hear your thoughts. It’s is informing our content and we hear you wanting to learn more about leadership and AI, moments of change, and more.
Want to join our AUD-SQUAD?!?
In these weeks of preparation before the launch of the audiobook and podcast (dates coming soon) we’re inviting people to join us.
Interested to see behind the scenes recording?
Curious in learning some new things ahead of the curve?
Have opinions about artwork?
Willing to share, rate, download, like, or follow?
Want to attend the launch event?
If even one of these appeals to you, we invite you to join the Aud-Squad!
We respect your inbox, so we’ll send just one or two emails a week with news, stories, insights, questions, and reminders about the launch day and event.
Looking forward to seeing you there!
— Margaret
Founder, The Speakership Lab
