Speaking out in support of the voice of the people

Teachers, politicians, salespeople, lawyers, telemarketers and receptionists are all people for whom spoken communication is essential and there are many other professions who rely heavily on their voice to do their job. It is hard to imagine a world without voice communication, but do we ever stop to consider just how important our voice really is – not just what we are saying but how we are saying it?

Research shows that 38 per cent of the impact we make in any given situation is made through our voice. The tonal quality, inflection, volume and even the accent we have, all contributes to how people perceive us and how much they remember about what we say.

We have all sat in those meetings and presentations where the speaker "drones" on in a drawn-out mono-tonal monologue for what seems like an eternity, and we have left the room with very little recollection of what they have actually talked about (although we have probably given considerable thought to what we're going to have for tea that night).

With the election looming, our TV screens are inundated with hopeful politicians trying persuasive techniques to win our vote.

We have all formed opinions of these people, although how many of us could actually quote their policies? These opinions are largely based on the visual and the vocal – what we see and what we hear.

Interestingly, what we say only amounts to seven per cent of our impact.

It's a well-known fact that many politicians employ voice experts to maximise their vocal communication and help create a persona that people warm to and identify with.

It's not just at work that our voice creates an impact; our verbal communication in social situations speaks volumes about what we think and who we are. We've all experienced the difference between relaxed conversation with a group of old friends compared to awkward interaction with unfamiliar acquaintances. It's not just what we say that differs in these situations, but the energy, fluency and ease of our voice contrasts greatly.

World Voice Day is about awareness and celebration of the human voice, and it encourages us to look at how we use our voice and take action to improve our vocal habits.

Started in 1999, in Brazil, the "Brazilian National Voice Day", as it was first known, was the result of a mixed initiative of physicians, speech therapists and singing teachers. The initiative was quickly taken up by other countries, such as Argentina and Portugal.

In 2002, it was recognised by the American Academy of Otolaryngology – head and neck surgery – and World Voice Day was established.

As the week draws to a close, many of us start feeling the vocal strain of our job: numerous phone calls, highly charged meetings and nervous, tight-throated presentations all put pressure on our voice, not to mention working with loud machinery or teaching a classroom of rowdy kids.

As we head out for a weekend of chatty restaurants, noisy bars or sporting events, how many of us ever question how we are using our voice and what damage we may be doing to it in the process?

Though not professional athletes, we are all aware of the importance of warming up our bodies before a game of tennis, a run or a trip to the gym. It helps us prepare, improves our performance and prevent muscle injury – but how many of us treat the voice muscle in the same way?

The majority of voice problems arise from over-use, misuse or injury, but if we looked after our voice as we do our bodies, we would improve our vocal performance and reduce the risk of injury.

Actors, singers and other voice professionals understand the importance of this preventative care, but if we all paid a little more attention to preparing our voices and took some simple daily precautions, we might all finally have something to shout about.

For more information visit www.redvoiceuk.com

TOP TIPS ON HOW TO LOOK AFTER YOUR VOICE

The theme of World Voice Day this year is "Love Your Voice" and here's how…

Stay hydrated. Moisture is good for your voice. Drinking plenty of water throughout the day is the best way to hydrate your vocal chords

Stop shouting. Shouting or screaming puts great strain on the vocal chords and is always bad for the voice.

Don't clear your throat. Clearing the throat is like slapping the vocal chords. Instead, take a sip of water or swallow.

Warm up your voice. Always warm up the voice before heavy use. Simple exercises such as gliding through your vocal range on different vowel sounds will considerably increase the flexibility and strength of your voice.

Use a microphone. If you are giving a speech or presentation, particularly in a large room or outdoors, always use a microphone.

It allows you to keep your volume at a conversational level but

will also reach the entire audience.

Support the breath. The breath is the power source of the voice. Make sure you fill your lungs before you start speaking and don't let your breath run down before refilling your lungs and refuelling your voice.

Pay attention to your throat. When we're in a place with loud background noise, we often don't realise how loudly we are talking. Always pay attention to how your throat feels, because it will often feel raw or irritated long before you notice the vocal strain.

Rest up. If you are unwell and your voice is becoming hoarse, it's vital to rest it as soon as possible and as much as possible. Pushing the voice when you have any kind of throat infection can lead to more serious vocal problems.

Stop smoking. The single worst thing you can do for your voice is smoke. It causes permanent damage to the vocal chord tissues.

Check it out. If you suffer from persistent hoarseness or suffer

for extended periods of time, you should seek medical advice from

your GP.