Increase Confidence Exponentially Using Your Voice Power

3 Secrets of the Trade Only Voice Professionals Know About

Jan 14, 2025

One of the most revealing aspects of training business executives, public speakers, and performers, is the way they use their voice. More specifically, it’s the power of their tone of voice that defines the depth of their impact. I subscribe to the powerful notion that 40% of our body language is in fact voice tone. The relationship we cultivate with the tone of our voice in various situations is a subtle yet profound indicator of how successful we are when communicating with others.

In a world preoccupied with the visual and tactile, the acoustic often fades into the background. Yet sound plays a pivotal role in shaping our success and personal well-being. Remarkably, up to 40% of our impact in daily life stems from our voice power, and this figure climbs to as much as 80% in high-stakes environments such as public speaking, performing arts, television, and business communication. A simple example is James Earl Jones, the prolific actor whose resonant and unmistakably baritone sound was the voice of “Star Wars” villain Darth Vader.

The Place of Voice in Body Language

As far as our communication skills are concerned, there exists a tendency to either reveal or hide ourselves when meeting others. Communication becomes an intricate dance between revealing and hiding ourselves. Whether deliberate or unconscious, this tendency influences our ability to demonstrate confidence and polish. I refer to this dynamic as our “appetite to be heard and seen.” At any given moment, we are either actively revealing or unconsciously hiding parts of ourselves. The latter can have devastating consequences, as it suppresses transparency.

Confidence in communication stems from a harmonious blend of body language and voice. Body language encompasses our breathing, posture, gestures, facial expressions, movement, and use of space. Voice, on the other hand, is shaped by energy, tone, rhythm, projection, inflection, and articulation. Together, these elements convey our appetite to reveal or conceal.

Our “appetite” to be heard and/or seen is expressed as follows:

Body Language: Consider how we connect to gravity—are we firmly planted or tentative? Do our gestures flow naturally, and is our posture stiff?

Voice: Similarly, vocal energy, rhythm, and inflection reflect our confidence. Are we projecting with clarity, or is our tone subdued, betraying hesitation?

Spoken language is organized and governed by time (rhythm, phrasing, pauses) and by melody (pitch, intonation and inflection.) Reclaiming an “experience” of sound will unlock a new level of confidence and control.

The Challenge of Visibility

Nothing makes us more visible than our voice tone and body language. We often instinctively reduce these elements to escape psychological discomfort. Superior communication begins with the art of presence—the willingness to occupy space and accept being the focus of attention. This requires courage because the unconscious desire to flee visibility and being exposed are strong.

Restoring visibility is immensely rewarding but also disruptive. It challenges our ingrained habits of hiding, compelling us to confront vulnerabilities. Public speaking or acting (including voice acting) are ideal environments to build confidence because they demand full visibility—there’s nowhere to hide. In these settings, we cannot escape our intentions, whether they are to impress, dazzle and inspire, conceal nervousness, or compensate for a lack of preparation.

Contrary to popular belief, the fear of public speaking is not rooted in speaking itself or fear of the audience. It’s the fear of being seen and heard. By embracing visibility and audibility, we step into our authentic power.

Three Elements of Voice Power: Air, Direction, and Space

To articulate personal power and be truly heard, your voice needs three fundamental pillars: air, direction, and space—in equal measures.

Air: Without air, the voice cannot carry. Vocal cords vibrate based on the amount of air available in our lungs, making controlled breathing essential. Imagine trying to sing without sufficient breath—the sound would falter.

Direction: Words must travel the actual physical distance to reach your audience. A voice with clear direction on a straight line, cuts through space like a laser, commanding attention.

Space: Sound needs to fill the room to resonate. Picture a singer performing in a vast hall—the sound must occupy every corner to be appreciated fully.

Tools and Takeaways

The elements above are often unconsciously diminished when we attempt to hide. Any reduction in air, direction, or space weakens our presence in a snap. Conversely, activating these elements restores visibility, self-expression, and confidence. Hence, why it is critical to develop and cultivate our appetite to be seen and heard.
You must “fall in love” with the sound of your voice and the physical presence of your body, share them openly—without falling prey to enemy number 1: apologize for being “amazing you”—what a nightmare and deception that is! Have you ever marveled at how every single human being looks and sounds completely different? We are all so profoundly unique. In my view, robbing people of our presence in such a fashion is a crime :)
Energy must move forward; withholding it leads to self-consciousness and stifles expression. Thoughts, ideas and emotions need the full support of our physical energy in order to be conveyed properly. Emotions can only be freed through sound and movement. Frozen emotions are locked inside the body due to lack of proper release of energy.

By reclaiming your voice power, you gain access to superior communication. It begins with the courage to be heard and seen.

Speaking Engagements | Self-Development | Business Communication & Leadership

Essential Skills to Catalyze Potential & Align Purpose with Talent. If you need coaching, please call or text (323) 986-6363 or go to my contact page here

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

I have learned one elementary truth: people are not their fears, their doubts, or the ridiculous stories running loops in their heads. People are geniuses waiting to explode onto the stage of their destiny. My job is to hand them the match.

I live by a single truth: my brain and body run my life, not my mind. My mind is a precious tool for research, stimulation, creative ideas, and communication with others—not my guide, my guru, my boss, or my friend. Energy inspires me, not thoughts. I wait to move and flow when my instincts kick in. The thinking is in the flow, just like a great wave is always part of the ocean.

I deal in transformation, without apologies. I see people in technicolor. The masterpiece is inside every being. Sometimes I provoke and challenge self-imposed limitations, but my true aim is to nurture, educate, and empower.

Outside of work? I keep my world simple. I cook like a mad scientist, travel to feed my senses, and I play piano. Humor—sharp and unrelenting—is my weapon against the dullness of small talk. I write daily and publish articles about topics that inspire me. I spend countless hours in conversation with my wife, deepening our understanding of life, each other, and the one thing that truly matters: awareness.

I don’t pretend to have all the answers. But I know this: the development of self—especially self-reliance—is the only education that matters, because every decision we make is in fact a direction. It determines the quality of our experiences and their outcome. If there’s a thread that runs through everything I do, it’s this: trust life and trust yourself—it will set you free.

Critical Skills to Empower Your Journey & Light up Your Soul

Since 1989, upon founding the Eric Stone Studio in Los Angeles, I have been coaching professional actors & voice artists, as well as business professionals.

“All Great Outcomes in Life Come from a Paradigm Shift in Perspective.”