Speaking with a powerful voice
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By Cynthia Zhai
Speaking with a powerful voice is the backbone of successful leadership. Unfortunately, most leaders have overlooked the vital tool, the voice. That’s the reason most leaders fail to maximise their leadership capabilities. This book explores the critical voice qualities needed in a leader’s voice and shows you that the voice you were born with can be changed with step-by-step, practical exercises. The book also gives you insights on how working on your voice is a holistic process of transformation.
What personal experiences from your 23 years as a professional speaker across 24 countries inspired you to write this book?
“You teach what you needed to learn the most.” I needed to transform my own voice when I graduated from university. As I did, I not only sounded more powerful but also felt more powerful. That’s where it planted the seed for me to support others to transform their voices.
In my work with clients from all across the world, their transformation inspired me to spread my work through writing the book so more people can benefit. As my work evolves, the process that I use evolves, and there are more complex and interesting case studies, which I want people who are in a similar situation to get inspired by, understanding that they are not alone and they can transform their voices and even lives.
Your book discusses four leadership voice qualities: Space, Gravitas, Emotion, and Equanimity. Could you briefly explain why you chose these specific qualities?
These are either the qualities that my clients want to develop, such as space and gravitas; or the qualities that my clients have yet to realise but are essential to help them grow their impact as leaders, such as emotion and equanimity.
There are other qualities that leaders need to have in their voices too, for example, certainty, conviction, presence, etc. They are covered in the book too, but not singled out as a chapter.
If a leader could implement just one technique from your book immediately, which would you recommend and why?
It would be to speak while exhaling. Voice is projected when we breathe out. Most people have formed the habit of holding their breath while speaking. I’ve noticed that in almost every client. It can happen when you are nervous or stressed out; or when you are speaking to someone who’s more authoritative; or all the time! When you hold your breath while speaking, your voice is not able to project out loud and clear, instead, you sound held back, soft, lacking confidence, monotonous, or indifferent and aloof, as some clients have shared. There’s definitely no impact at all.
How do you see the importance of voice quality evolving in leadership as AI and digital communication continue to advance?
It gets even more important as we’d be craving for individualisation, authenticity, and human touch. Your voice is your unique identity. You’ll find no one who sounds exactly like you.
And AI would not be able to replace you in terms of speaking with your unique voice. I don’t think AI would be able to work out the extreme complexity of human emotions soon, and the human emotions in your voice are one of the key components in shaping your unique voice.
Which historical leader do you believe had the most effective leadership voice, and what can we learn from them?
I mentioned a number of leaders in the book who had the effective voice that brought people certainty and hope, restored trust, fostered unity and inspired them in times of darkness, including Winston Churchill, Lee Kuan Yew, Queen Elizabeth, Angela Merkel, Aung San Suu Kyi, just to name a few. Everything we can learn from them in terms of voice is in the book!
What do you hope readers will feel differently about after finishing your book?
First, feel relieved that you are not alone. You’ll see so many case studies in the book that may have been in the same situation as you are in and experienced the same challenges as you do. The challenges are a call for you to wake up, rise up, and step up.
Second, feel inspired that the voice you cringe to hear can be changed. You’ll learn the step-by-step practices to guide you to transform the voice that you were born with into a voice with power and impact.
Third, feel called to make a bigger contribution. With your voice transformed, you’ll be able to make a bigger impact than you are meant for. More people are looking up to you for certainty, hope and inspiration. Do what you are meant to do!
Develop Your Leadership Voice
Speaking with a powerful voice is the backbone of successful leadership. A leader needs their voice to calm people down, reassure people with certainty and hope, foster connection, build trust, convey the vision, inspire teams, and drive results. This book shows you that the voice you were born with can be changed.