The Well-Spoken Woman (9 page)

THE GIFT OF VOICE

A well-spoken woman who epitomizes how to command an audience with the voice is former Representative Barbara Jordan. The enormity of Jordan's vocal gift was summed up by humorist Molly Ivins when she quipped if a casting call went out for the role of Great God Almighty, Jordan would have no competition for the part. Jordan is remembered as having booming pipes that seemed heaven-sent. The power of Jordan's voice was in the clarity of her diction and the deep resonance of her sound. Her unique vocalization
was coupled with enduring insights into what it means to be an American. In Congress, Jordan became known as the conscience of the nation for the leadership she displayed during the Watergate hearings. Audiences didn't just listen to Jordan; her words could pierce your soul.

Her commanding vocal quality could have been overwhelming if Jordan hadn't possessed a lively sense of humor. She took herself very seriously but wasn't above joking about herself. In a 1977 commencement address at Harvard University, she told the graduates she viewed a Harvard education as “the unexcelled badge of intellectual achievement, if not superiority. My appearance here may not honor you, but it certainly honors me. One reason I attended Boston University Law School was so I could be close.” She then went on to reminisce about the day her undergraduate alma mater, the Texas State University for Negroes, took on the Harvard debate team. Jordan was a standout member of the team and was pleased when the contest was judged a tie. But upon reflection, she thought the judges got it wrong: “It now occurs to me that if Harvard students were as superior as everyone thought, they should have won. Since the score was tied, we must have won.”

A Nurtured Gift

Barbara Jordan knew she had the gift of voice as a teenager. Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church was the center of the Jordan family, and it was where Barbara heard and assimilated the rhythmic cadences of Baptist sermons. Her parents, Ben and Arlyne, raised three daughters in Houston's fifth ward, a racially segregated community. Ben was a Tuskegee man who worked
as a warehouse clerk and part-time minister. From her father, Jordan learned the importance of precise diction. Her mother was an orator in her own right who spoke at church revivals and missionary meetings.

Born and raised in Texas, Jordan had a voice with a decidedly New England, Kennedyesque quality. This may have been due in part to her law school years in Boston and her time as a volunteer for John F. Kennedy's presidential campaign. Her distinctive voice contributed to her sense of being exceptional, which had been reinforced by her grandfather, John Patton. He encouraged her to think of herself as smarter than other kids, telling her that “she could do better, she could be better.” She strived to exceed his expectations and in high school decided she must be named “Girl of the Year.” Her strategy to secure the honor focused on maximizing her vocal talents and minimizing what she lacked. Jordan was not born with many of the things that mattered to other teenagers—the right clothes, “the right light color,” and the right hair.
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So, she set out to become the best public speaker at Phillis Wheatley High School by winning debates and oratorical contests.

What Jordan might ultimately do with her speaking ability was made clear during a school assembly in 1950. A guest speaker named Edith Spurlock Sampson, a trailblazing African American attorney, knocked Jordan's socks off with her poised, assured demeanor. Sampson told the students they should consider the law as a career. Jordan remembered Sampson as an incredible presence: “I didn't know what I was talking about, but I declared in the tenth grade I will become a lawyer.”
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It wasn't until 1949 that law schools began to admit African American students, but Jordan's mind was made up. After being selected “Girl of the Year” in her senior year, she was on her way.

A Talker Who Walks the Walk

Jordan liked to remind people that she graduated from Texas State University (TSU), a school that was created to keep black students out of the University of Texas. At TSU, Jordan was a speaking champion, yearbook editor, sorority sister, and student council member. When she applied to law school, Jordan chose Boston University because it was one of only two schools in the
country that had always been integrated. In Massachusetts, Jordan felt isolated in an unfamiliar community and outmatched by her peers. Her class of over six hundred students included only two black women, and the competition was rigorous. She was up against equally ambitious students, some of whom had the advantage of degrees from top schools. For the first time, she questioned whether she would be able to compete.

I realized, starkly, that the best training available in an all-black, instant university was not equal. Separate was not equal, no matter what face you put on it. It came to me that you couldn't just say something was so, because somebody brighter, smarter, more thoughtful would come out and tell you it wasn't so. Then, if you still thought it was, you had to prove it. I really can't describe what that did to my insides and to my head. I said I'm being educated, finally. I'm doing sixteen years of remedial work in thinking.
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In her first year, Jordan feared the remedial work she needed would cause her to fail, so she studied in private, not wanting her classmates to see her struggle. There was no money to travel home for the holidays, and she spent her first Christmas alone at the movies. Later, Jordan commented that those trying years taught her to always be ready. She would go so far as to prepare for conversations with other students so they would never perceive any shortcomings. The discipline she gained is evident in the texts of her speeches—every word is purposefully chosen. Unlike the speakers of much of today's overblown political rhetoric, Jordan made sure she knew what she was talking about.

With law degree in hand, Jordan returned to Houston and set up shop as an attorney, but her law career was short-lived. In 1960, she volunteered for Kennedy's presidential campaign and traveled extensively, rallying African American business and community leaders and speaking in black churches. Her popularity as a speaker led to her decision to run for a state legislative seat, for which she campaigned twice and lost. In 1964, the Civil Rights Act passed, and Texas was ordered to reapportion a number of legislative districts. Two years later, Jordan ran and won in a predominately minority district in Houston, becoming the first African American elected
to the state senate since 1883. She served her constituents for eight years and in 1972 was elected to the US House of Representatives, becoming the first African American Texan to serve in Congress.

In Washington, DC, Jordan was soon heralded as a forceful voice for change, as someone who championed the rights of the oppressed and spoke out against bigotry, hatred, and ignorance. She gained national recognition as a member of the House Judiciary Committee when she spoke at the impeachment hearing of President Nixon. Millions of television viewers watched her impassioned speech on the fundamentals of democracy.

Earlier today, we heard the beginning of the Preamble to the Constitution of the United States: “We, the people.” It's a very eloquent beginning. But when that document was completed on the seventeenth of September in 1787, I was not included in that “We, the people.” I felt somehow for many years that George Washington and Alexander Hamilton just left me out by mistake. But through the process of amendment, interpretation, and court decision, I have finally been included in “We, the people.”
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In her distinctive cadence, Jordan explained how the president had put himself above the rule of law and why his misdeeds were crimes. The discipline she developed in law school was on full display as she logically laid out a convincing argument for impeachment while articulating her patriotism and love for country. When she finished, committee members had tears in their eyes, and within days Americans were calling for Barbara Jordan to be president. Jordan was no longer just 1 of 535 members of Congress. She was an inspirational leader who would speak for justice and equality for all.

FIVE Ps OF A VIBRANT VOICE

Some clients are reluctant to work on their voice because it brings them too close to the feeling that I'm trying to “change who they are.” Those concerns are valid because the voice is an important part of individual personality. But consider the fact that you may not be using the full range of what is available. Small changes can help you discover the fullness of your sound and help you project more of your personality. This section introduces five essential ways to develop the voice as a power tool. The five Ps of a vibrant voice help you control the voice and use it more purposefully.

Step 1: Pleasing Pitch

What is your natural pitch? Is it high or low on the musical scale? There are two general pitch ranges: chest voice and head voice. The chest voice resonates in the top part of your chest. The head voice vibrates behind your eyes and in your nose. Men tend to use more chest voice, which produces lower tones. Lower tones can be advantageous because they are associated with qualities like authority, control, confidence, and expertise. Imagine the booming bass of James Earl Jones in the role of Darth Vader: “You don't know the power of the dark side.”

Women who tend to speak with more head voice will have a slightly higher pitch. High notes are often associated with shrillness or stridency. The stress of nervous anxiety can compound the problem by causing the voice to rise or break into a falsetto. Volume can also raise pitch. If you speak loudly in order to be heard above the noise of a crowd or to fill a vacuum in a large room, you may sound nervous or overly excited. A higher-pitched sound can also convey energy and enthusiasm, however. Political pundit Mary Matalin's voice is unusual with its sharp, nasal quality. Matalin knows how to control her sound and uses it to break through cacophony on cable talk shows.

The ideal voice mixes high and low tones. Variety in pitch and inflection will keep listeners engaged. A voice that lacks any change in pitch is a monotone. A dull, flat sound is easy to tune out, particularly after a heavy
meal or during a long meeting. Make your voice come alive by using inflection, raising and lowering pitch purposefully. The most captivating voices utilize a full range of notes on the musical scale.

Step 2: Pick Up the Pace

The ideal speaking pace is a conversational rate. This rate is pleasing to the listeners, and it provides the speaker with the time to think and breathe properly. A moderate rate of speech is approximately 140 to 170 words per minute. The first two paragraphs of this section on pace contain 152 words. Read the two paragraphs out loud and time yourself with a stopwatch. Stop reading when you reach one minute. (If you finish the second paragraph before time is up, start over with the first paragraph again.) Then go back and count the number of words you used during the minute. Does your voice fall within the conversational rate range?

If you use more than 170 words in a minute, you need to slow your overall pace. For fast talkers, this requires serious concentration and practice, plus the use of pauses. If you are below 130 words, you need to quicken your overall pace. Your normal rate is too slow and will sound like it is dragging.

(Did you time yourself reading the last two paragraphs out loud? If not, do so now so you can get a sense of your rate of speech.)

Within the range of conversational speech, your speaking style will be much more dynamic if your speed changes from time to time. Varying the speed prevents you from falling into a sluggish or predictable tempo. A change of pace can also signal to the audience that a change of mood or a transition in subject is taking place. Slowing the pace makes what you are talking about sound more important. A slower rate gives more weight or puts more emphasis on the meaning of the words. The audience will feel as if they should pay closer attention to what is being said. Conversely, picking up the pace will sound more energetic. Changing the pace literally sounds like you are changing gears.

Step 3: Purposeful Pauses

The pause is the most underused of the vibrant voice techniques. When presenters do pause, they generally do so too seldom and too briefly. The pause is extremely helpful to you, and it is necessary for the audience. There are three reasons to pause.

 

1. Pause to dramatically highlight key words and phrases. Set up important lines such as “I have a dream.” The pause serves as a verbal signal to the audience to pay attention because what is coming next is worth listening to.
   
2. Pauses are opportunities to breathe. Getting oxygen to the brain helps you relax and is vital to your ability to control your vocal quality. While you take a breath, you can think about what you are going to say next so the words don't just rumble, tumble out of your mouth.
   
3. Finally, pauses make excellent transitions from main idea to main idea. The pause signals that you are moving on to another topic.