Lead with Your Voice

Set the Tone

It’s finally here. The movie you’ve been waiting months to see. You settle into your seat, popcorn in hand, ready for something epic. The opening scene doesn’t disappoint—it’s a massive, high-stakes event, the kind where the whole world is watching.

On screen, the lead actor strides into a grand auditorium. Cameras flash. The crowd murmurs with anticipation. This is their big moment. They step up to the podium, take a breath, and then…

They open their mouth.

But instead of a voice that commands the room, what comes out is cartoonishly high-pitched—like they inhaled a giant helium balloon seconds before starting their speech.

The theater erupts in laughter. The timing is perfect. The leader’s presence is powerful, their movements are confident—but the voice? The voice is so wildly mismatched that it turns an epic moment into a joke.

It’s a classic comedy trope for a reason. Because whether we like it or not, we expect a leader’s voice to match their presence. And when it doesn’t? Well, that’s how you end up as the punchline.

Now, in real life, no one’s voice is meant to be funny. But the disconnect between how a leader looks and how they sound is very real. And it can absolutely impact how their message is received.

That’s why great leaders don’t just speak. They resonate.

Train Your Voice

Your voice is an instrument. And like any instrument, it can be tuned, refined, and trained to perform at its best.

A lot of people assume they’re stuck with the voice they were born with. But vocal training isn’t about changing who you are—it’s about unlocking your full potential.

Think about the attention most high performers give to fitness, nutrition, and sleep. They track their steps, their macros, their REM cycles. They understand that peak performance is built on the foundation of intentional habits.

So why wouldn’t they train their voice—the very tool that carries their ideas, their influence, and their leadership presence?

Your voice is your leadership delivery system. It’s the medium that carries your message and connects your vision to the people who need to hear it. If you’ve invested in sharpening your strategic thinking, your storytelling, and your public speaking, but haven’t thought about how you sound, you might be leaving power on the table.

Because here’s the truth: A strong voice commands attention. A weak or uncertain voice? It makes people doubt. And you don’t want doubt creeping into the room before your ideas even land.

Speaking to Outshine AI

We live in an AI-driven world. Written communication is evolving at breakneck speed—AI can churn out emails, reports, and entire speeches in seconds. But there’s one thing AI can’t do like you: Speak with real human connection.

Think about it. AI can generate the perfect sentence, but it can’t deliver it with warmth, authority, or a well-timed pause that draws the audience in. No AI voice will ever fully replicate the conviction in a leader’s voice when they speak with passion and presence.

So if AI is making written words more accessible than ever, what does that mean for spoken communication? It means it’s more important than ever before.

Leaders who can hold attention and inspire in real-time, through the power of their own voice, will always have an edge.

Your ability to captivate, engage, and own the room is a skill worth developing. AI won’t replace great leadership—but the leaders who ignore the power of their voice will get left behind.

OK, Let’s Play: Strengthen Your Voice

If you’ve never worked on your vocal presence before, here’s where to start. These exercises will introduce you to voice training and help you step into your full leadership presence.

Ready: Get curious about your voice. Start noticing how different speakers use pitch, tone, and pacing to capture attention.

Set: Identify one vocal habit you’d like to improve—whether it’s eliminating filler words, speaking more clearly, or adding more vocal variety.

Go:

• Hum your favorite tune. Before a meeting or presentation, hum to warm up your vocal cords and bring resonance into your voice.
• Recite a Tongue-Twisting Passage. Try reading Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll out loud, exaggerating every sound like it’s the most delicious word you’ve ever spoken. This improves articulation and vocal dexterity.
• Record Yourself Speaking. Choose a short passage, record yourself, and play it back. Listen to your tone, pacing, and clarity. Identify one small tweak you can make.
• Make a Plan to Improve. If you’re serious about developing your leadership voice, consider working with a coach. Just like an executive presence coach helps refine body language, a vocal coach helps align your voice with your message.
  
  

Your Voice Should Match Your Vision

You wouldn’t put on a power suit and then slouch into a meeting. So why put thought into your words if your voice doesn’t match the strength of your message?

Your voice is one of the most powerful tools in your leadership toolkit. It shapes how people perceive you, how they absorb your message, and how much impact your words actually have.

So ask yourself: Is your voice working for you—or against you?

If you’re ready to level up, start small. Build a personal practice plan or seek out a professional coach to raise your skill level. It’s one of the best investments you can make, and it has an immediate impact—not only on your confidence to speak up, but on ensuring that when you do, you’ll actually be heard.

If you’re serious about leadership, lead with your voice.
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Hey there! I’m Blair Bloomston, author of UPLIFTED WEEKLY and your friendly consultant, facilitator, and game-based educator on-call, bringing a passion and penchant for all things play (I’m also alliteratively all-in). As the founder of Leaders Uplifted, I help leaders like you tap into creativity, connection, and confidence to make work feel less like a grind and more like a game. Keep reading with me— I’m here to be your business best friend. Let's go!