How Voice Lessons Help with Public Speaking

Glossophobia (the fear of public speaking), is ranked as Americans’ #1 fear. Unfortunately for people with this fear, public speaking is something that is nearly impossible to avoid. Through theatre and singing, I have gained many skills that directly translate into public speaking, so I thought I’d share some of them with you.

In voice lessons, you are performing for one person in a small space. Singing in front of one single person who is watching you intently and taking notes is very intimidating. Voice lessons help you get over the fear of being vulnerable in front of others. If you can sing in a one-on-one situation, speaking in front of a group seems much less scary.

Voice lessons also build breath support and strength influenced heavily by posture. This in invaluable to public speaking. People notice the way others walk and stand - shrunken posture gives the impression that you are small, insignificant, and not an authority. Furthermore, one of the first things to go when you are nervous is your breath - shortness of breath and a lack of projection are common affects of glossophobia. If you have a solid foundation of breath support and control, as well as healthy projection, you will command a room and exude confidence.

In addition to breath support, singing helps people to build strong articulation skills. When you are speaking in public, it is most important to be heard and understood. With a background in singing, you will have already had to sing large amounts of words very quickly, while still telling a clear story, so speaking at your own pace will be a breeze.

As a singer, auditions become more of your job than performance gigs. In an audition, your entire job is to sell yourself as a great singer, actor, and collaborator. You learn to enter a room with confidence, take command of the space, and share your skills; all of these are DIRECTLY TIED to public speaking. When you have an important presentation at work or have a job interview in front of a panel, you must enter the room with confidence, take command of the room, and share your skills and information with all those in attendance.

Singing teaches confidence, breath support, healthy posture, owning the space, and so much more. If you or someone you know has a fear of public speaking, I encourage you to come in for a voice lesson and see just how much easier public speaking becomes!