| Word Count: 1,823 Estimated Read Time: 7 ½ Min. |
Abraham Lincoln. Winston Churchill. Martin Luther King, Jr. John F. Kennedy, Jr. Maya Angelou. Ronald Reagan. Nelson Mandela. Susan B. Anthony. Fred Rogers. What these very different people from vastly different experiences, cultures, occupations, places and times share in common is that they were all great orators. We don’t have to necessarily agree with what they said to at least acknowledge that how they said it was highly impactful. They all understood and mastered the art of conversation. They could effectively deliver the meaning of what they were saying to their audience. Part of that was not just by the words they chose, but by how they said what they said.
Communication is effective when the recipient of a thought understands the meaning intended by the speaker. It’s that simple… and that complicated. It’s complicated for a multitude of reasons that go far beyond words expressed. It includes how we say what we say and the dynamics between the people having the conversation. And there’s nothing simple about that.
Setting aside the dynamics between the people having a conversation for a moment, it is important to consider the variables that affect communication beyond word choice. HOW we say something can cause communication to fail or succeed. Here are eight variables that deeply impact understanding and clarity.
1. Intonation
Let’s start with “intonation.” Intonation is how the rise and fall of a speaker’s voice communicates a complex system of meaning. We use intonation grammatically to communicate when something is a question or statement. We use it to express if the information shared is finished or unfinished, or if it is the main point or a supporting point. We use intonation to express certainty, doubts or reservations. Intonation helps express emotions like happiness, enthusiasm, sadness or boredom. Intonation also subtly communicates if the relationship between the two people communicating is open and friendly or closed and formal. How we say something is just as important – perhaps even more important – than what we say.
So how does intonation work? Intonation starts with the contrast in our tone of voice. Our voices go up or down at certain points in a statement to express meaning. Just changing the intonation of the voice going up or down can dramatically change the meaning of what is being said even if the exact same words are spoken.
Consider a statement of just three words. “It was informative.” If a person says “It was informative” and their tone of voice goes down, that expresses certainty and confidence. But if the person says “It was informative” and his tone of voice goes up, that might be understood as a question or might mean that the statement is incomplete and the speaker has more to say. If the person says “It was informative” and his voice goes down but then comes back up at the end, he might be expressing hesitation, doubt, reservation or a need for more information, or is prequalifying what he is going to say next. But if the speaker wants to emphasize something, his voice might start going up and then go down, which expresses enthusiasm or happiness. Or it might help contrast what they are saying against what someone else said. And if we add pauses to the statement, that also changes the meaning. A short pause or a pregnant pause affects the meaning. For example, “It was (short pause) informative” expresses thoughtful confirmation. But, “It was” (pregnant pause) “informative” (higher pitch on the last word) says that there is serious doubt about the statement. And adding emphasis on a particular word also changes the meaning, such as “It WAS (pause) informative” not only confirms the statement but adds a strong opinion in contrast to someone else. Whereas adding emphasis on “IT was informative” contrasts against something else. Raising and lowering one’s voice, using pauses and emphasis can drastically change the meaning of the exact same three words… each expressing a very different meaning.
If a person doesn’t use intonation appropriately, it can confuse or even irritate the listener. One common example of inappropriate intonation is repeatedly using high rising intonation at the end of most sentences. Although high rising intonation is common in casual conversation because it indicates an open and friendly relationship, it shouldn’t be over-used because the listener is left waiting for the story to end. It can also give the impression of seeking approval or feedback. So, when speaking to someone, it is important to self-monitor one’s tone, pauses and emphasis as a way to deliver the intended message.
2. Pace
Pace is another variable that affects how communication is sent and received. The pace at which a person speaks and the pace at which the speaker gets to a point affects how something is said and how it is received. Pace is the speed at which a person talks. If a person’s message is delivered too fast, the listener might not have time to assimilate what is being said. It is also a good idea to vary the pace – quickening up at times and then slowing down – to help to maintain interest.
Case in point. U.S. President John F. Kennedy was a fast talker. Actually, very fast. Kennedy could speak at about 350 words per minute. During a speech in 1961, he spoke 327 words in just one minute. That’s about 3 times faster than the normal conversation rate. In fact, he still holds the world record for rate of speaking speed in the Guinness Book of World Records. That was helpful in being able to move quickly and get a lot done. But that could also be problematic in certain situations. And yet Kennedy is considered one of the greatest orators of the last century. How? Because he was extremely aware of his pace and could moderate and regulate it based on the setting. During his Inaugural Address, for example, he slowed his speaking rate to 96 words per minute. It is, to this day, still the slowest in the past 60 years of Inauguration speeches (and that includes Barack Obama, who is also a great orator and extremely good at moderating and slowing down his pace).
Kennedy mastered the art of pacing. He knew when to get an audience fired up by a blasting fury of words, similar to what former Cuban dictator Fidel Castro did in his incredibly-long speeches. But he also knew when to slow down to carefully measure each word in order to emphasize his meaning.
For anyone having a conversation, the goal is not to speak in a completely steady pace, measuring out every word evenly. To the listener, this can feel monotone and boring. And speaking really fast or really slow can also affect how the message is received. The goal then is to use a combination of slow, fast, and medium speeds in speaking, depending on what is desired. Speaking fast is good to indicate passion, urgency, excitement, and emotion. And mixing in pauses and emphasis helps to slow down a fast-paced message. Meanwhile, speaking slowly is good to communicate importance, sadness, seriousness, confusion, or introduction of a new idea.
3. Rhythm
Writing about how rhythm affects speaking is difficult because it is an auditory experience. But, just as in music, there is a rhythm to speaking. How we speak can be more impactful if we are aware of our rhythm. Balanced tempos adds to how well a message is received, while imbalanced cadences throw off rhythm. Here is an example to prove the point. In Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, he concluded:
“That this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that this government of the people, by the people, and for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”
What if instead he had said:
“That this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that a government of the people, and that the people created for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”
It just doesn’t have the same cadence and thus loses its rhythm and impact. This is true not only in speeches but also in conversations, especially ones that involve several people. Rhythm helps us find our way through a stream of continuous speech, enabling us to divide speech into sections, signal changes between topic or speaker, and spot which items in the message are the most important.
4. Volume
Volume has to do with the power of one’s voice. The degree of loudness or softness of a person’s voice when communicating affects the person’s perception of the intended meaning. A person who is typically loud may alienate others and that pitch is often viewed as overbearing or aggressive. On the other hand, someone who is soft-spoken might be perceived as timid or weak. Thus, volume can overwhelm or underwhelm how others receive what is being said. It could cause the listener to reject or lost interest in the message because they aren’t comfortable with how the message is being delivered.
An effective interpersonal communicator will regulate volume in an effort to promote meaningful communication. The choice of volume should reflect the nature of the message, the size and acoustics of the space (in person vs on the phone or teleconferencing), proximity to the other person, and competing noise or conversations. So a conversation in a crowded room might need to be significantly louder than a when speaking privately. But that’s not all. Volume is also increased to stress particular words and ideas and to express emotions. This can be perceived as a loss of control. Or a sudden decrease in volume down to a whisper can add suspense and/or grab the other person’s attention. Volume that is varied is most effective.
Keep in mind, though, that voice volume is also cultural. Culture can influence how loudly it is appropriate to talk, the tone and level of expressiveness in the voice, and the speed of speech. Loud, fast, and expressive speech is common in some cultures but could be considered rude or aggressive in others. Without stereotyping, loud and expressive speech is often more common in African American, Caribbean, Latino, and Arab cultures. On the other hand, some Native American, Inuit natives, and Latin American indigenous cultures favor softer tones of voice and less expressive speech, as do some East Asian cultures. Allowances should be made when communicating with people of other cultures so that voice volume is not automatically viewed as offensive or rude.
A landmark UCLA study showed that gestures account for 55% of the impact of a message on listeners while tone of voice, volume, rhythm, pace and intonation makes up 38%, and words comprise a measly 7%. So how you say things plays a huge part in the art of communication…. five times as much as the words themselves. Being a masterful communicator means mastering how a message is delivered as much as what the message is.
Quote of the Week
“Communication makes the world go round. It facilitates human connections, and allows us to learn, grow and progress. It’s not just about speaking…, but understanding what is being said – and in some cases what is not being said. Communication is the most important skill any leader can possess.” Richard Branson, President, Virgin Airlines
© 2022, Keren Peters-Atkinson. All rights reserved.
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