We all want to sound intelligent, powerful, polished, articulate and confident when speaking -- especially when we are up in front of an audience.

• To Sound More Intelligent: Speak just a bit slower to allow yourself to select your most appropriate vocabulary and to give the impression of thoughtfulness.

• To Sound More Powerful: Use short, simple declarative sentences. You say what you mean and you mean what you say. Cut out any useless connectors, adjectives and adverbs, especially superlatives.

• To Sound More Polished: Never answer a question with a blunt "yes" or "no." Append a short phrase of clarification. For example, "No, I did not see it."

• To Sound More Articulate: Make a special effort to pronounce the final sound in a word and use its energy to carry over to the following word. Pay special attention to final "t" and "ng."

• To Sound More Confident: Carry your body up. Hold your head as if you had a crown on it. Don't let your arms and legs have side to side motion when you move. Keep your elbows and knees close to the midline of your body.


--Source: Patricia Fripp, CSP, CPAE is a San Francisco-based executive speech coach, sales trainer, and award-winning professional speaker. She is the author of Get What You Want!, Make It, So You Don't Have to Fake It!, and Past-President of the National Speakers Association.