《铁娘子》教你打造磁性好嗓子

    媒体演讲教练玛丽•西维尔罗在上一篇文章中探讨了我们能从奥斯卡获奖影片《国王的演讲》（The King's Speech）中获得的启示。现在她再次回到电影院，开始研究英国历史上的另一位标志性的人物：撒切尔夫人，梅丽尔•斯特里普在最近上映的电影《铁娘子》（Iron Lady）中饰了这个角色。西维尔罗对自己所谈论的话题有着深刻的了解。她的合作对象包括了各大公司的高管，比如摩根士丹利（Morgan Stanley）、美国运通（American Express）、梦工厂（DreamWorks Animation）、默克（Merck）和《财富》（Fortune）杂志的母公司时代公司（Time Inc）。实际上，她还与我和我的同事合作过，帮助我们在2011年财富杂志最具影响力女性峰会（Fortune Most Powerful Women Summit）期间如何赢得听众。以下是西维尔罗从电影院发回的最新文章：

    梅丽尔•斯特里普在《铁娘子》中向我们展示了撒切尔夫人努力工作，最终成为英国首相的历程。这些艰辛的工作甚至包括降低声调。

    她的助手告诉她，没人愿意听“声音尖利的女人”说话，更别提接受她的领导了。他们还告诉她放弃珍珠项链。虽然撒切尔保留了珠宝，但她确实找了个发声教练，帮助自己降低声调。

    实际上，最近有两项研究都是针对降低声调的好处。其中一项研究发现，选民认为声调较低的发言人更具有领导的潜力和控制力，而且为人更诚实，也更有智慧。另一项研究显示，声调较低的人——无论男女——更能吸引异性。

    因此，降低声调不仅有助于在职场上获得晋升，还能吸引到更有意思的人共进晚餐！我在与女性高管合作的时候，常常建议她们使用比天生更低的声调。以下是我的三个最佳建议：

    1. 认识自己的音域。女性的音域比男性更宽广，这意味着她们说话声音一般不会单调沉闷，但也更有可能会发出刺耳的高音。如果客户不能意识到这一点，“尽情”展现自己的音域时，我就会把她们的声音录下来。客户还发现，提高声调常常与紧张有关。他们身处聚光灯下的时候，包括声带在内的所有部位都会收紧。

    2. 放松身体。深呼吸，肩膀下沉，说话之前先放松身体。哥伦比亚大学（Columbia University）的一项研究显示，演讲前紧张的肢体语言会导致信心下降。

    3. 正确练习。大声练习演讲时，轻轻将手指放在喉咙处。你会感觉到声带随着音调的变化而上下起伏，这样就可以自我监督，慢慢提高。

    要知道，降低声调需要假以时日，不能急于求成，但拥有铁娘子般意志的人必将获得回报。

    译者：千牛絮

    Last we heard from media and presentation coach Mary Civiello, she weighed in on lessons from the Oscar-winning The King's Speech. She's back in the movie theater studying another icon of British history: Margaret Thatcher, portrayed by Meryl Streep in Iron Lady. Civiello knows of what she speaks: She works with executives at such companies as Morgan Stanley (MS), American Express (AXP), DreamWorks Animation (DWA), Merck (MRK) and Fortune's parent, Time Inc. (TWX)--and in fact, worked with my colleagues and me to help us win the crowd at the 2011 Fortune Most Powerful Women Summit. Here's Civiello's latest dispatch from the cinema:

    In Iron Lady, Meryl Streep shows us how hard Margaret Thatcher worked to become Prime Minister of England. That hard work included lowering her voice tone.

    Her handlers told her that no one wanted to listen to--let alone be led by--a "screeching woman." They also told her to ditch her pearls. And while Thatcher kept the jewelry, she did work with a voice coach to lower her tone.

    In fact, two recent studies focus on the value of lower-pitched voices. One study found that voters rated lower-pitched speakers higher for leadership potential, honesty, intelligence and dominance. The other study suggested that people--both men and women--with lower voices do better at attracting the opposite sex.

    So, lowering your voice tone can mean reaching the corner office and finding someone interesting to dine with! I often work with women executives to use the lower range of what's natural for them. Here are my top three tips:

    1) Recognize your range. Women have a greater pitch range than men, which means they are less likely to be monotone but more likely to hit squeakier octaves. I will tape clients when they don't realize it to illustrate their range. Clients also see that a higher pitch is often connected to nerves. When they're in the spotlight, everything, including vocal chords, constricts.

    2) Relax. Breathe deeply, lower your shoulders, and loosen up before you start to speak. A Columbia University study suggests that tight body language before your perform leads to a less confident performance.

    3) Rehearse right. As you practice your presentation out loud, place your fingers lightly against your throat. You'll feel your vocal chords rise and fall with your pitch and you'll be able to monitor your own progress.

    If you want to lower your voice tone, know that it requires work over time. But for those who have the Iron Lady's will, it can pay off.