Written by: Dain Hong / Communication Coaching / August 26, 2020 / 8 minutes read

When you send a message, the way you say it is just as important if not more important than what you say. Even the most brilliant of ideas can seem like no big deal if presented without the right techniques. On the other hand, a minor thought in its initial stages of formation can engage and inspire listeners when shared effectively. Consider the many contexts in which such engaging speech can be beneficial—a group discussion during a work meeting, a conversation with a friend, an interview where first impressions matter heavily, and even chit-chat over dinner. When we refine the how as well as the what of our speaking, our words can make an impact and do justice to our messages. 

Individuals who speak quickly may at first seem like experts on the topic. Their fast pace gives the impression that they have great knowledge and passion regarding the topic at hand, and that their mouths can’t keep up. While these speakers may accomplish the task of intimidating, they have not fulfilled the goals of communication—to be understood, and to understand. Since information is being sent at a rate that may be difficult to keep up with, the listener may feel overwhelmed. How is the listener to take in information, make sense of it, and connect with it in a way that is meaningful?

In the same way, when the speaker’s mouth runs, there is few pauses for the communication partner to respond. Nodding and smiling may be the only response, as anything more than that, like a “mhm” or “That’s interesting” may seem to be an interruption. In this way, the second goal of communication—to understand the other—is left unfulfilled. In other words, a speaker of a fast speed may create more of a monologue or soliloquy rather than a dialogue. For these reasons, a fast-speaking individual may appear aloof, agitated, and in a hurry all the time. 

On the other hand, speakers who speak with an adequately slow pace increase the accessibility of their information. They exude confidence through their willingness to take their time in explaining a concept, and the overall slowness demonstrates a sense of comfort with silence. Moreover, a slower speaker invites listeners to participate in the conversation. The speaker leaves pauses for their communication partner to freely share their remarks and emotions as they arise. In this way, the communication partners’ roles as both listener and speaker change fluidly.

Have you considered how clear you are when you speak? If you’ve been asked to repeat yourself, one large factor is that you weren’t enunciating the sounds as required. Enunciation involves an intentional movement and contact of the lips, teeth and tongue. These three components create a unique shape of our vocal tract, affecting the sound produced. When these movements are not held for long enough or are produced with little intentionality, the sounds that leave our mouth may not associate itself effectively to meaning. 

Several causes could impact your intelligibility, or clarity. One is the degree of your jaw opening. As your mouth is the terminal of your instrument, to have it reduced would mean that the sound does not echo out as it could. The majority of wind and brass instruments have a flare at the end of the instrument to allow a ringing out of the sound; to do the opposite would be counterproductive. Thus, relaxing and opening your jaw during speaking would allow the sounds you produce to echo our clearly. 

Another component is articulation and positioning. Is your tongue touching the bump behind your top teeth for the sounds /t d n l/? Do you feel your lips rounding when you produce /r w ʃ dʒ tʃ/, with those last three sounds being “sh”, “j”, and “ch”? Check in with your mouth position to ensure it is in a way that sound exit is facilitated.

Finally, organization plays an important part in effective message delivery. Is there a structure that you are using to tell a story, or to prove a point? Structures could include compare/contrast, chronological, most important to least important, and countless others. Are you guiding your listeners with appropriate “sign posts” so that they can anticipate the relationship you are drawing between your ideas? 

Such words may be the following: on one hand, on the other hand, however, unlike this, first/ next/finally, most importantly, and overall. If these transition words are lacking, and you are instead using the common and and so, your listener may be understanding your information to have a linear connection rather than a hierarchical and more complex structuring. 

All in all, a speaker’s speed, clarity and organization strengthen the delivery of a message, increasing comprehensibility and engagement. 

To speak with one of the speech-language pathologists at Well Said: Toronto Speech Therapy, schedule an initial consultation by clicking the link below or calling (647) 795-5277.