How does your voice sound?
Our voices should be clear, crisp and powerful. There are three basic things that influence the quality and sound of your speech: The size of your mouth The thickness and health of your vocal cords Your breath control Small children have high pitched voices because their mouths are small and their vocal cords are thinner.…
Read MoreWhat is Accent Modification Training?
Accent Modification training is our signature service at Triad Speech Consultants. This training helps adults who speak with a foreign or regional accent change their speech so they speak confidently and effectively. This program may be delivered individually or in a small group setting. Skills addressed include pronunciation, intonation, rate of speech, voice projection, vocabulary,…
Read MoreMargaret’s Speakeasy Episode #1
Welcome to the podcast of Triad Speech Consultants. The name of this podcast has a special meaning. As you may know, speakeasies were secret bars or nightclubs where patrons could purchase alcoholic drinks that rose to prominence in the 1920s due to prohibition. You had to know a secret password in order to get into…
Read MoreMaking the Most of Season’s Greetings
From the fourth Thursday in November, when our nation joins together to celebrate Thanksgiving until New Year’s Day on January 1, people in the United States are swept up in the excitement of the holidays. This time of year is filled with the communication demands of parties, errands, and shopping. For some people, all of…
Read MoreWomen–Are you heard?
Do you have to repeat what you said to be heard? Do you get interrupted while trying to get across an important point? Women are often spoken over, interrupted, or even disregarded in their speech in both social situations and the workplace. “The Unheard Female Voice,” an article by Stephanie Watson details some of the…
Read MoreTips for Great Small Talk: Conquer Your Networking Anxiety
Having excellent communication skills isn’t just about speaking clearly. It’s also includes having conversations that create a with another person. Many times, if I’m working with a client and recommend they attend a networking event, they will cringe. The prospect of making small talk with complete strangers is something that most people dread. The fact…
Read MoreMumbling Affects Your Message and Your Credibility
In Stephen Covey’s well-known book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, habit number five is “seek first to understand, and then to be understood.” This sentiment is written to help encourage cooperation, and clearly one of the keys to cooperating and finding success in life and business is clear communication. Careful listening and reflection…
Read MoreSpeak with Confident Statements: Tips for Avoiding Upspeak
If you’ve ever watched the 1995 movie Clueless, starring Alicia Silverstone, you’ve heard what speech coaches refer to as upspeak. This movie depicting Generation X was full of Valley Girl talk, a type of conversation where your inflection rises as you speak. The pattern of speech makes what you say come across sounding like a…
Read MoreEmbrace Your Southern Sayings
Idiom: language particular to a people or a district, community or class. Merriam-Webster dictionary Every region has its sayings, and North Carolina has plenty of colorful ones that pepper the speech of native southerners. If you’re a native North Carolinian, you may have found yourself saying some of the phrases below (meanings are in parentheses…
Read MoreHow Does Your Spoken English Compare to Others?
Everyone speaks with an accent. A person’s accent is an instant look into their background; reflecting both their native language and the region of their childhood. It gives me a warm feeling when I hear people from Minnesota and Wisconsin speak, because it reminds me of the many happy summers I spent in that area of…
Read More