One couldn't even imagine the working world without online meetings. It's not only the lack of atmosphere that's bothersome. Zoom, MS Teams, Skype etc., compress our voices quite drastically. Concretely, this means that the video recordings are "minimised" so that the online conferences run seamlessly.
However, this also decreases the quality. It's obvious that voice traits get lost. Exactly this compression is even worse for women than it is for their male colleagues, as a recent study by the Universities of Magdeburg and Sønderborg in Denmark shows.
Our guest author Barbara Blagusz is an expert in voice and speech techniques, and in demonstrative language patterns in consulting and sales.
With audio compression, quite a bit of treble is removed and this affects female voices more often. This loss has a negative impact on how the person's voice is perceived and heard. In addition to the pitches, other frequency components are also watered down, which makes the voice sound less charismatic overall.
Here are a few tips for how you can have a persuasive and charismatic voice in online meetings.
Tip 1 – Stand up
Okay, it does initially sound strange to stand up in a meeting. But, body tension is considerably better when standing and your voice will thank you for it. Set up a standing desk; if need be, use a high table and stack books and boxes, put the computer on it, and voilà ... you have a standing workstation.
Even if you don't always work there, it ensures variety and more freedom of movement, especially in online meetings. By doing so, the voice immediately sounds more natural and in-tune.
Tip 2 – Test the volume
You could have the nicest voice, but it will still sound unpleasant if your mic is too loud or too soft. Test the volume before your meeting with colleagues in a trial session and get some feedback there. This is the only way to optimally set the volume in your audio settings. You also won't regret investing in a good microphone.
Tip 3 – Record yourself
Get to know your voice and diction. Have a go at recording yourself with your microphone. This'll make it easier to get used to your own voice. You can vary it a little and gradually feel your way around your voice. Fun and easy-going. You'll gain confidence and trust, which will serve you well in the online meeting.
Tip 4 – Hum
Humming warms up your vocal cords and improves your range, ensuring a pleasant sound. And people enjoy listening more to warm voices that sound relaxed and pleasant.
Tip 5 – Relax between meetings
Don't schedule your online meetings too close together. Change your sitting position every now and then when you're in an online meeting: straight and upright and then lean back relaxed again. A good option here is also an inflated seat cushion or sitting ball.
Always remember... People can hear if there's stress in your voice. So, walk back and forth in the room between online calls. That opens your lungs up to breathe better and relaxes you. Get into a routine during your breaks and leave the room for a bit. This also often helps much needed time-outs, and facilitates relaxing your body and voice.
Tipps zur Entspannung im Meeting Alltag..
.. findet ihr in unserem Artikel zum Thema Embodiment und Mindfulness.
Jetzt mehr wissen!Tip 6 – Get those hands up
Use your hands actively. That brings movement into your body and increases your energy level in front of the camera. A consciously implemented gesture also underlines what you want to say, sets the necessary emphasis and helps to convey the content better.
Important: On screen, your hands look much closer to the body. Make sure that you don't put your hands too far into the camera, but rather keep them higher and closer to the body. Then this looks more natural and much better in the camera.
Tip 7 - Clarity for the win!
People will understand you better if you speak clearer. And those who are understood better, come across as more competent. Sitting in front of your screen makes many people stiff. Without moving your hands and with little facial expression, the diction of your voice also suffers. It becomes monotonous and starts to get boring to listen to after a while.
Activate your speech organs, e.g., with this exercise: Open your mouth 2 fingers wide every time you say an "A"; now say the following sentence out loud:
"Adam ate apples at aftercare." Your voice will immediately sound clearer if you repeat this sentence three times. Enjoy the exercise!
Individual voice potential analysis – free of charge
Would you like to know more about your voice? Have you always wanted to know what you sound like to others? Do you know your strengths and capabilities? Easy as pie!
Why not get a free voice analysis – right here, right now, in just a few clicks:
- Get a short, normal text ready.
- Don't forget to enter your voice goal and profession
- Record the text with your smartphone
- Send the audio file to team@meetsalzburg.com
- Barbara Blagusz will then send your voice analysis straight to your inbox.
This might also interest you...
Barbara Blagusz not only has tips on how to make your voice more charismatic, but also knows how to create more interaction in your (online) team meeting with 9 quick tips. There will certainly be no more boredom!
But not only Barbara Blagusz shared her knowledge with us - Annemarie Lombard Puntschart did too. In her article, the former event executive talks about how to integrate yoga, meditation and mindfulness into the agenda of international conventions, congresses, corporate meetings and events and why. You can also find the article on "Mindfulness & Embodiment in the Meeting and Event Industry" in our online magazine #meetSalzburg.
We would also be happy to put you in touch with the experts - just contact us directly by email at team@meetsalzburg.com or call us at +43 662 88987 271. We look forward to an exchange with you.
And if you are planning a (digital) event or meeting, we are of course always available to help you find the right partners with our free and neutral service.