April 25, 2019
Many years ago, when I lived and worked in Philadelphia, I participated in a program called Leadership Philadelphia. During the program, I met a woman who would become one of my closest friends. Interestingly, a few years after we met, she confessed, “I didn’t really like you when we first met.”
April 10, 2019
I am a recovering perfectionist. My nature is to obsess about ways to take something to the next level. On the one hand, my perfectionist mentality is what has made my work great and led to accolades and promotions, but what I’ve come to realize is that this obsession with perfection also can be paralyzing.
March 27, 2019
Recently, I was reading through my LinkedIn posts, and there was a young lady who was having a challenge securing employment. She indicated that she had been on numerous interviews but could never close the deal. In a desperate move, she posted her resume to LinkedIn and asked her connections to provide feedback as to […]
March 14, 2019
“I got the job!” Those four words were music to my ears. “I am so excited and incredibly grateful for all of your advice and guidance to help bring the best me possible,” Sarah (not her real name) continued. “I truly appreciate it.”
February 28, 2019
As a little girl, my parents would load our family into a station wagon and take us on road trips from Pittsburgh, PA to Valdosta, GA, my mother’s home town. We always had full meals of fried chicken, biscuits and potato salad packed in a picnic basket and never stopped at hotels or restaurants along […]
February 21, 2019
One of my clients is constantly cancelling our meetings at the last minute. Another colleague is always late on conference calls. And, normally she is the one that is the leader. So, the rest of us are just holding on and listening to classical music until she joins the call. As someone who tries to […]
February 14, 2019
It’s almost that time of the year . . . the dreaded employee performance reviews. Many employers are finally acknowledging that both supervisors and subordinates despise the appraisal process. It’s a perennial problem that feels more urgent now that the labor market is picking up and concerns about retention have returned. More than one-third of […]
January 31, 2019
A few weeks ago, I got caught up in binge watching Marie Kondo’s Netflix show “Tidying Up.”
January 24, 2019
Goodbye cubicles…hello open offices. While talking with many of my colleagues, it sounds like the open concept office has replaced the traditional cubicles and walls-with-door offices of the past decades. One of my colleagues who works for the government indicated that they don’t even have a designated space anymore. At the end of the day, […]
January 17, 2019
When people find out I work from home, I’m often asked, “Isn’t it great to work in your pajamas?” They always seem surprised with my response, “In the 10+ years I’ve worked from home, I’ve never worked in my PJs.”
Have you ever been in a meeting where someone begins speaking and almost immediately commands everyone’s attention? They’re not necessarily the loudest person in the room. They may not even have the biggest title. But there’s something about the way they communicate that makes people stop and listen.
That’s vocal authority, and it’s an important part of executive presence.
We often think of executive presence in terms of how leaders carry themselves, how they dress, or how confidently they enter a room. But there’s another element that’s just as important: how you sound when you speak. Your voice sends powerful signals about your confidence, credibility, and ability to lead. And the good news? Vocal authority is a skill you can develop.
I’ve worked with leaders who had tremendous expertise and great ideas but struggled to communicate with authority. They knew their subject matter inside and out, yet their delivery didn’t always reflect their knowledge.
Having expertise and sounding like an expert aren’t always the same thing.
Whether you’re presenting to senior executives, leading a meeting, or having a difficult conversation, your delivery should reinforce your credibility—not undermine it.
Here are five ways to strengthen your vocal authority.
When we’re nervous or eager to share information, we tend to speak too quickly. Unfortunately, rushing can make us sound anxious rather than confident. Slow down, especially when making an important point. Give your audience time to absorb your message. Remember, you don’t have to rush to prove you know what you’re talking about.
Many people are uncomfortable with silence. They fill every pause with um, you know, or so. But a well-placed pause communicates confidence and composure. It also gives your audience time to process what you’ve said.
Confident leaders don’t feel compelled to fill every second with words.
Sometimes we undermine our credibility before we’ve even made our point. Consider the difference between:
“I just wanted to suggest that maybe we reconsider our approach.”
And:
“I recommend we reconsider our approach.”
Same message. Very different impact. You don’t have to sound aggressive. Just be clear, direct, and confident.
When communicating with senior executives, get to the point. Start with your recommendation, then provide the supporting information. For example: “My recommendation is that we delay the launch by two weeks. Here’s why.”
And once you’ve made your point, resist the temptation to keep talking. Overexplaining can weaken an otherwise strong message.
Vocal authority doesn’t mean speaking in a deep voice or maintaining a serious tone throughout every conversation. Use vocal variety. Adjust your pace, volume, and emphasis to reflect what you’re communicating. Your voice should convey enthusiasm, conviction, and confidence when appropriate. And remember, authority doesn’t mean intimidation. You can be warm, approachable, and still communicate with power.
Every time you speak, you’re reinforcing your leadership brand.
Here’s a simple exercise: record yourself delivering a short presentation or explaining an important recommendation. Listen to your pace, tone, word choices, and confidence.
Does your delivery reflect the leader you want others to see?
Executive presence isn’t just about how you look when you walk into a room. It’s also about what people hear when you open your mouth.
The voice of power isn’t about being the loudest voice in the room. It’s about speaking with confidence and credibility that makes people want to listen.
Hi! I'm LaNella Hooper-Williams. Through my blog, my mission is to give you tips and practical tools that will help you build a powerful brand and accomplish your personal and professional dreams. You’ll learn strategies that help you manage your personal brand, get noticed and rewarded for your unique talents, and gain greater career focus.
