
Stop Letting Your Voice Undermine Your Message
Stop Letting Your Voice Undermine Your Message
In this blog post, we've transformed our latest video into a clean, readable summary. If you prefer to watch, here's the video.
Your Voice Overrides Everything Else
Stop pretending that your suit, your slides, or your PowerPoint are going to make people believe you. Because if your voice sounds weak, unsure, flat, boring, or monotone, people believe the voice—not the suit, not the slides. That's where most miscommunications start.
We have our vocal image and our visual image. Vocal image will always override the way that you look. So how can you avoid miscommunications? Simple: stop letting your voice tell the wrong story.
My name is Lisa Hugo. I'm a voice and communication coach, and I've worked with performers and professionals for years, turning nervous and unclear speaking into confident, commanding voices. I've got practical, simple tools you can use right now, plus a free training to help you become a voice of authority in your industry. The link is in the description below.
Why Good Content Fails
Many professionals—leaders, doctors, lawyers, executives—get their message wrong not because of bad content, but because of bad delivery. You could have the perfect proposal, the best evidence, the right diagnosis, and one weak sentence can undo it all. If you fix that, everything else becomes easier.
The Five Elements of Vocal Language
Your voice is not just sound. It's a whole language. There are five elements that do the talking even before your words land:
Pitch – How high or low do you speak?
Pace – How fast or slow do you speak?
Melody – Does your voice sing a little, or does it stay flat?
Volume – Is it soft or strong?
Tone – Is it warm, harsh, breathy, or bright?
Mix these together, and people will decide if you're a leader, nervous, warm, angry, or bored. That's why voice creates miscommunications—your intent and perception can be miles apart.
The Questioning Voice Pattern
One pattern that completely undermines your authority is the questioning voice, where your voice rises at the end of a sentence even when it's not a question. "Hi, my name is Lisa? I'd like to invite you to my free webinar? The link's in the description below?" Hear the rising patterns? That makes it sound insecure. Even if you're completely certain, your voice tells the audience otherwise.
Don't hand people permission to doubt you.
How Delivery Changes Everything
Here's a quick demo using the phrase, "I'm here to help you."
Happy and excited: "Hey, I'm here to help you!"
Angry and frustrated: "Hey, I'm here to help you."
Sad or disappointed: "I'm here to help you."
Serious and authoritative: "I'm here to help you."
Same words, very different meanings. That's the quickest way to see how delivery changes everything.
Your Voice Sets Expectations Faster Than You Think
You can be dressed like a CEO, but if your voice is soft, high, or breathy, people trust (or distrust) the voice first. The suit just becomes background noise. Your vocal presence sets expectations faster than you think. That's why we need to fix the voice before we blame anything to do with image.
Quick Guide to Vocal Emotions
Happy/Excited: Higher pitch, lots of melody, more energy
Angry: Louder, less melody, sharper edges
Sad: Lower pitch, softer, falling patterns
Serious: Lower, steadier pace, minimal melody but not flat
Mixed emotions? If someone is both angry and sad, they'll be loud but with falling melody—heavy and unresolved. People pick up on that complexity and often feel uncomfortable if the voice doesn't match the message.
Avoid Vocal Strain
When you raise your volume, you also start to strain your voice. You're lifting your voice box (larynx) and creating tension, which is uncomfortable for the listener and physically uncomfortable for you. It can even lead to health issues: tiredness, fatigue, breathiness, raspiness, hoarseness, breaks in your voice.
If you feel any of these symptoms over any period of time, get your voice checked by an ear, nose, and throat specialist (ENT). But aside from rare medical conditions, voice is a skill. You can develop it.
Six Simple Actions to Improve Your Voice
Breathe from your belly – Take a deep breath so your core expands (not your chest). Breathe out slowly on an "sh" or "s" sound. This supports your voice and reduces strain.
Find your natural pitch and ground it – Say your name naturally: "Hi, my name is Lisa." That's close to your natural pitch. If you need more authority, gently lower your pitch—but don't push it to be uncomfortable.
Slow your pace purposefully – Pausing after key points makes you sound confident. Rushing says, "I'm nervous."
Add some melody – A tiny bit of rise and fall keeps people interested. Speaking on one or two notes makes your great points fall on deaf ears.
Project your volume – Think of your voice reaching someone about 4 meters away. It's clear, projected, coming from your core—not strained.
Match your tone to your message – If you want to demonstrate empathy, sound softer and warmer. If you want to speak with conviction, be steadier and firmer.
Hesitant vs. Confident Voice
Hesitant: "Um, I'm uh… I'm going to lead this meeting with… uh… with clarity?" (Softer, uptalk, filler words)
Confident: "I will lead this meeting with clarity." (Clear, direct, strategic pacing)
Practice both in front of a mirror. You'll feel the difference—and notice your posture changes, too. When you're hesitant, your body language matches. When you're confident, your whole body lifts up.
Your Facial Expressions Matter
If you're angry but smiling, you won't sound angry. If you're frowning, you can't really sound happy. Your facial expressions should match what you mean to portray, and your voice will follow.
Match Your Voice to Your Role
Doctor: Warmth + authority
Lawyer: Clarity + conviction
CEO: Calm + commanding
You're not copying a voice. You're fine-tuning your own instrument so it carries the right message.
Quick Practice Exercise
Find your last email and read it out loud using three different voices:
Game show host – About to announce the next guest
Tired poet – Very tired
Superhero – Confident and powerful
It's silly, but it trains pitch, pace, and tone without pressure. It's not about being inauthentic—it's about trying new skills and stretching outside your comfort zone.
Key Takeaways
Your voice tells people who you are and can either help or hurt your message.
Voice is a skill—with simple coaching and practice, you can be intentional, clear, and confident.
Don't let your voice be the reason your message gets lost.
If you want to transform your voice, I've got a complete program called Voice of Success. Click the link in the description below, or head over to Instagram @LisaHugoOfficial and send me a DM.
Watch the original video for full context: https://youtu.be/NwKWNR-JREQ