When you have been in business for a long time (as I have) it can be very easy to jog along happily doing the same-old, same-old and believing that as you’ve already done it all there can’t be anything more to learn. How wrong can you be!
A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of attending a full day course in London on the subject of articulation. I have been helping people of all ages and in all walks of life to improve the precision of their speech for a very long time so you might wonder what I felt I could learn? Well, the chance to work with a top world authority on the subject was too good to miss. Meribeth Dayme Ph.D is an American who has built a reputation as an expert on performance and human anatomy and in recent years relocated to the UK for studies in healing and communication.
So, what did she say?
- That speaking clearly is a key factor in communication
- There is no one-way to have ‘proper’ speech
- Serious misunderstandings may occur when articulation is poor
- The physical aspects of this are complex
- What is the energy behind communication?
- Find out by exploring. CHEW, relax, feel the complex muscle groups in the lower face
- All the articulative muscles are interconnected
- Improving body balance can directly help clear speech
This is quite a technical subject but I hope this will make you think a bit more about how much effort you put into your speaking. Use those muscles or they will become weaker and less effective.
Well, I hope to manage my usual monthly blog in early August but I will be working in Sri Lanka by then so it just depends on 21st century communication.
Don’t forget that TALK may be CHEAP but your SPEECH should be PRICELESS!
Twitter: @VoiceExpert
