The four major party leaders have something in common after all. They all need to work on their vocal delivery.
Paul Martin sounds like a defensive Sean Connery, Stephen Harper exhibits signs of throat tension, Jack Layton uses his shoulders when he speaks, and Gilles Duceppe must relax his jaw, according to a voice and speech and consultant.
As the campaign takes off, they need to remember to slow down and take deep breaths if they don't want to be called talking heads, says Toronto-based Jay Miller.
“Effective communication is all about making a connection,” said Mr. Miller, “Your voice can either facilitate and enhance that process or it can be an obstacle.”
Bloc Leader Gilles Duceppe at a recent campaign stop: 'He needs to slow down and breathe a little bit,' voice consultant Jay Miller says. (Jacques Boissinot/CP)
The campaign teams for the leaders they have never used voice or speech coaches and don't plan to.
Voters look for a leader with “a resonant voice that communicates authority and strength; is clear and open and communicates honesty and forthrightness; and natural and not put on,” Mr. Miller said, who has worked with provincial election candidates he would not name.
“We want to hear that their whole body is vibrating with what they want to say,” Mr. Miller said.
People respond to speakers on an emotional level not only an intellectual one, said Patricia Tedford, an Ottawa-based vocal coach.
It's important that politicians make the effort to work on their vocal delivery because observers will rely on gut feelings to trust a leader.
“You can turn the volume down and still pick up auditory image,” said Ms. Tedford, adding that tension in the neck and shoulders may betray a speaker's inept vocal skills.
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So where does that leave the party leaders?
“Paul Martin? Yikes,” Mr. Miller says with a laugh. “His voice is high and thin. I would even call it abrasive.”
Mr. Miller explains that Mr. Martin's voice is forceful but one-dimensional and leaves listeners feeling as though they were “beat about the head with a baseball bat.”
If he were to work with Mr. Martin, he would try to eliminate his “slushiness.”
“Steady comes across as shtudy, yourselves comes across as yershelves,” Mr. Miller exaggerates to illustrate his point, explaining Mr. Martin's speech is somewhat reminiscent of actor Sean Connery.
“This takes some of the polish off,” Mr. Miller said. He adds that it is evident through his voice and delivery that Mr. Martin has been defensive lately. From listening to Mr. Martin speak, Mr. Miler didn't think the Liberal Leader had ever used a voice and speech coach.
Mr. Harper has the most appealing clear and resonant voice of the Party Leaders, Mr. Miller said.
But he would do well to eliminate repetitive head-nodding when he is trying to emphasize his point, said Mr. Miller.
He has also noticed signs of throat tension when Mr. Harper speaks, which may indicate that he may face vocal fatigue if he is not more careful.
“When he talks to the press I get the feeling that he seems relaxed but he is calculating everything he is saying,” Mr. Miller said and wondered if Mr. Harper had ever used a coach.
“If he's never worked with one, then he has a lot of natural talent.”
Mr. Miller says NDP Leader Jack Layton is able to make a connection to his audience with his enthusiasm and energy.
But he adds, “Sometimes that energy and enthusiasm starts to get ahead of him, I start wondering if he's getting a little tense,” said Mr. Miller. “He starts using his shoulders a lot which tells me the breath gets high and the voice starts getting light and high as well.”
Mr. Miller was reluctant to group Mr. Duceppe with the other leaders because English is not his first language. But that doesn't mean there is no room for improvement.
“He needs to slow down and breathe a little bit,” Mr. Miller said.
“There needs to be more space in his mouth because French has a nasal resonance and English doesn't,” he said, “So we'd like to get the jaw a bit relaxed, get the breath going and moderate the pace of the speech.”
Mr. Miller guards his trade secrets carefully but if he had the chance to work the leaders he would remind them that their voices are nothing more than their breaths.
They need to make sure their voices are “vibrating in their torso and not just in their throat,” he said.
