Your Voice Sets the Tone

People judge your voice before they process your words, and a few simple habits keep it working for you:

• Pace — too fast reads as nervous, too slow as condescending. Use your natural pace, slightly slowed for clarity
• Volume — match the room; a soft voice gets lost in a loud restaurant, a booming one feels aggressive in a quiet office
• Emphasis — to stress a point, get quieter, not louder. It pulls people in and signals confidence

Practice your opening line out loud before important meetings, since your first sentence often comes out shaky before your voice has warmed up.