5 Ways to Present Your Ideas with Conviction

You don’t have to be the loudest voice to be heard

It’s hard to gain agreement or reach a consensus if you are unable to communicate your ideas with confidence. You can be overlooked, passed over, or ignored, and when it happens frequently, your self-esteem takes a hit that can knock you down so hard you need help getting up. If your voice sounds too soft, too young, or too “feminine,” your ideas — and you — can be discounted. In meetings, it’s always the loud, forceful voice that commands attention even when what they are saying is wrong. Here are 5 tips for communicating with confidence and authority.

Take deeper breaths

As a petite woman with a soft voice, I was often talked over by more commanding voices in the room. A voice coach who was a colleague suggested that I take deeper breaths to put more power behind my words. It makes total sense. Opera singers once had to project their voices to the highest seats in a vast opera house without the benefit of a microphone. They did it by developing breath control. As Russell Rowe explains in his article, “Practicing breath control techniques can improve your ability to control the volume, speed, and tonal variety of your voice. Breath control is essential to voice control, and voice control is one of your greatest presentation tools.”

Test it for yourself. Say something in your normal voice. Then take a deep breath and say it. You’ll be surprised how much more power your voice has.

Shift your posture when you speak

If you want to convey confidence, sit or stand tall when you say something. This posture opens up the chest area and makes those deep breaths easier to take. Also, others perceive this position as a “command” position. They associate it with those in authority, such as teachers, military, law enforcement, medical personal, and so on. Subconsciously, you are associating what you are saying with that authoritative image. Finally, research shows that an upright posture helps you feel more assured, which, in turn, persuades others to take you more seriously.

Know your stuff

The more prepared you are the easier it is to feel and sound confident when you speak. When you rely on a solid body of knowledge, you present your ideas and defend them clearly and without becoming defensive. Feeling secure that you know your stuff and can answer questions gives you a sense of security, helps you relax, and boosts your self-confidence, which is reflected in how you communicate. But what if someone throws a question at you, and you’re not prepared to answer it?

You can ask for a moment or two before answering, or you can admit that you need to do some research before responding. It doesn’t pay to guess unless you admit it’s a guess, albeit an educated one. If it’s something outside your areas of expertise, pass. It’s better to defer to an expert than say something you will later regret or that is wrong.

“Your mind will answer most questions if you learn to relax and wait for the answer.” — William S. Burroughs

Pace yourself

Pacing is how fast or slow you speak. Generally, a moderate pace is comfortable for most listeners, and it helps you sound confident and authoritative. If you’re nervous, you may speak too quickly, which communicates that you are nervous, and people have less confidence in what you are saying. Just breathe and slow down. On the other hand, if you speak too slowly, your listeners will zone out and stop listening altogether. Look for and stick to a moderate pace. You’ll know if you’re pacing is off by the reaction of your listeners.

You also want to learn packing to use both fast and slow pacing for emphasis. This article from SpeakerHub will show you how to do this.

Just be quiet

Silence has power. You know this is true if you’ve ever been on the receiving end of the “silent treatment” or if you’ve used it on someone else. Silence, when you are speaking, creates space and a sense of anticipation. It’s often used before making a statement that you want people to pay attention to. That moment of silence impels the audience to stop what they are doing and listen for what’s coming. It also adds an aura of seriousness to what you say next. You need only pause for a few seconds to add weight and conviction to your statement. Pausing after you speak allows listeners to consider what you have said.

“Nothing strengthens authority so much as silence.” — Leonardo da Vinci

Take a deep breath and speak up to be heard

You gain confidence when you master your speaking skills. This carries over into many other aspects of your life and work. It increases your sense of self-esteem and helps you present yourself as a competent, capable professional. The ability to present your ideas, opinions, and beliefs clearly and confidently is one of the most important actions you can take for success and satisfaction in your work and life.

“If you can’t communicate and talk to other people and get across your ideas, you’re giving up your potential.”Warren Buffet