In a cohesive and inclusive environment, it becomes necessary to put forward your voice in the best way possible. You can be the smartest person in the room but if you do not communicate your feelings in the best manner, no one will believe the same. It hence becomes necessary to sound smart. In a group of people, you may feel that one person is smart, and that doesn’t come from how educated or well off they are but from how good they are at communicating something and the words and actions they use to put forward the things they have learnt. Additionally, there is also that one person in the group who may be the smartest, but because of his poor presentation skills, no one will ever find out about it.
What’s most important is that you don’t become the latter. You need a combination of both smartness and speaking skills in life.
Speaking plays a more important role in sounding better than writing, which is because of the paralinguistic cues that are attached to speaking.
In 2012, a study by Quantifies impressions to define how voices influence perception identified that almost 23% believe that they get more influenced by the voice quality of the speaker in comparison to the content of the message.
After the quality of voice, other factors that influence the listener are- Passion, Presence, Knowledge.
How To Start Sounding Smart?
- Work On Your Posture
The way you present yourself has a lot to do with your posture. When you stand smart people are more inclined to listen to you.
- Avoid Mindless Language
Use simple and sophisticated language that your listeners will understand. Using words that they do not understand will only make them lose their interest in you.
- Speak Loudly Not Forcefully
Some people associate loud with putting force in your speech. Where the former catches attention, the latter only makes you sound rude and should be strictly avoided.
- Pay Close Attention To Voice
Use voice in a way that will engage more users and make them interested in what you have to say.
- Avoid Vocal Irritants
Vocal habits that are termed as ‘vocal fry’ should be avoided at all costs. These affect how your listener perceives you
- Don’t Be Afraid Of Silence
When your listeners are silent, it may mean that they are interested in what you have to say. While silence, when you are asking a question, would mean they are not interested, it is a positive thing when they are silent during your speech.
- Don’t Weigh In Unless You Have Something To Add
If you have basic knowledge of the topic, weighing into the discussion may make people feel you are stupid. It is essential to understand when to barge in and when to not say anything at all.
Majority of us don’t know how to use personality in the right way and sound smart. Hence, a small effort can go a long way. It is necessary to understand the things you are doing wrong. Start by being self aware and make sure to take inputs from people who are listening to you or are smarter than you, because learning is all about listening others.