Many people who stutter as children become outstanding speakers as adults. After reading the obituary of renowned actor James Earl Jones, public speaking coach Rosemary Ravinal learned that controlling his stutter led to his extraordinary acting career.
“Stuttering helped to shape my public speaking career,” says Ravinal, who offers a few coping mechanisms that can be of value for those who wish to “uplevel” their public speaking.
By Rosemary Ravinal
It’s hard to believe there was a time when the voice of CNN, Darth Vader, and Mufasa didn’t want to be heard.
I’ve written and spoken about this often. It’s about stuttering. James Earl Jones and I were once stutterers. I am proud of my journey, especially as someone burdened by dysfluency, to communicator, media personality, and executive speaker coach.
Only one percent of people in the U.S. stutter. But, listeners’ reactions can make it traumatic. Young stutterers are often teased and bullied. Children start to feel shame about their speech and themselves and may choose to avoid communicating altogether.
That’s what happened to James Earl Jones. At age 8, he was so mortified by his affliction that he stopped talking. He regained his speech by writing poems and reading them in the classroom. Though he largely overcame his disability, the effects never quite disappeared. As a stutterer, he approached language with intensity, infusing every word with meaning. To control involuntary stammers, he incorporated subtle pauses in his delivery which added force and emotion to his remarkable and distinctive bass voice.
Once a stutterer, always a stutterer to some degree. Over time, stutterers develop advanced coping mechanisms and strategies that reduce the impact of stuttering during public speaking or conversations.
Some of those coping mechanisms can be valuable for anyone who wants to uplevel their speaking abilities in social, academic, and professional settings.
Here are just a few:
1. Practice controlled breathing
Focus on breathing deeply from your diaphragm rather than shallow breathing from your chest. This helps regulate breath control, which is essential for smoother speech.
2. Slow down
Speaking at a slower rate can reduce the pressure to speed up (and get it over with), which often triggers stuttering.
3. Practice pausing
Between words or sentences and allow yourself time to think and breathe. This is also an effective way to cut down on pesky filler words.
4. Start slowly
Focus on easing into the sounds rather than starting abruptly, especially with words that may trip you.
5. Break sentences into smaller parts or chunks
Speak one section at a time without overwhelming yourself with a long string of words.
6. Learn to love the sound of your voice
Most people don’t. Your voice is as unique as your fingerprints. Loving your voice can be a leap towards better speaking in any setting.
