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Avoiding "Monotone Mumble"
By Beverly Cohen, Communications Specialist

What went wrong?! Why was the audience inattentive? Walking out? Sleeping? The speech was well written and pertinent to the audience. It had a clear purpose and a perfect blend of wisdom and humor. The visuals were on target, too. They were colorful, concise, and supportive of the presentation. Maybe the presenter is suffering from Monotone Mumble.

I went to a seminar recently, and listened to three presenters speak on a truly interesting subject. 30 seconds into Speaker #2, my mind started wandering and I totally lost interest. When Speaker #3 took the podium, I was back on target, attentive and involved in the message. What was different? I couldn't hear Speaker #2! His voice was soft, causing me to strain to hear him. He mumbled his words so his message was lost. Other times he spoke so fast that his words bumped into each other, making them unintelligible. He had Monotone Mumble! These 4 easy tips can help you avoid Monotone Mumble:

• Open your mouth. Keep your jaw and lips loose.
• Vary your rate and volume.
• Make an audio tape and listen objectively.
• Have a buddy stand in different places in the room where you will be delivering your presentation and listen to you speak.

Remember, your presentation is worthless if your message cannot be heard.