Speaking - Do you match your tone with your intent?

<introEmbed body={<> When communicating with others, it is important to match the tone of your voice with your intent. The way you deliver your message can significantly impact how it is received. A well-matched tone ensures clarity, understanding, and strengthens relationships, allowing your true intentions to shine through effectively. This is extra important for consultants - we need to make sure our clients trust us and feel confident in the solutions we provide. </>} />

Match tone with intent

• Show confidence - Avoid a raised inflection at the end of your statements. This habit can make your statements sound like questions, reducing your perceived confidence and authority. Instead, aim to finish your sentences with a neutral or downward inflection to project confidence.
• Show you care - Speak with lots of energy to keep your listeners engaged and feeling good
• Avoid sounding defensive - It can come across as agressive
• Pause effectively - Use pauses to emphasise key points and show you are thinking about something

Improve your vocal tone

By yourself

To ensure your tone matches your intent, try these steps:

1. During your next call, record your voice
2. Reflect - Listen to the recording and ask yourself these questions:

• Are you showing confidence?
• Are you showing care?
• Do you sound defensive?

In a team

1. In your next Daily Scrum, play the videos at the start: Are you Engaging to Listen to? How you Sound Matters (30 sec) Do you match tone with intent | Brady Stroud & Adam Cogan | SSW Rules (3 min)
2. Then do your Daily Scrum while being careful with tone
3. Ask if anybody wants to comment on tone suggestions
4. Ask the question "Show a thumbs up if everyone's tone was great"

After doing this for a while, you will start to notice patterns in your tone and be able to adjust it in realtime.

You can also improve your tone by watching a good speaker and trying to mimic their tone.