Chipo Mashingaidze

After years of observing, learning and questioning, this is where I'm starting 2026 - launching this drive to close the gap between young people's potential and what they actually achieve. My area in coaching is personal development and soft skills and I can see what is missing. we need to equip our young people better - give them a fighting chance.

Happy Monday!
We carry on with our nuggets and I trust that a number of them will help you on your presentations skills journey.

Today, we talk about vocal tone. Vocal tone has been defined as " the way we use our voice to convey meaning, emotions, and attitudes".

When I first started my broadcasting career, one of those who had gone ahead of me was Mai Chisamba. One of the things she did in addition to the TV interviews on "Good Morning, Zimbabwe" was to be one of the voice characters for a radio drama that was recorded at the ZimSec complex. It's a while back and I'm racking my brain to remember what organisation was responsible it.

Anyway, one day they needed someone to take a small part in this radio drama and I happened to be available. I didn't have many lines but even the few that I had had to be a recorded a number of times ibefore I could get them right. Why? Because I was missing something in my vocal expression and the director asked me to repeat my lines a few times before I nailed it.

Being on radio, it was vital for the tone in every sentence - every word - to paint a picture because the listeners had nothing but our voices to help them paint a mental picture of what was going on.

When you are doing a presentation, while your words help you to paint a basic picture, the tone of your voice add detail to the story. You place emphasis, emotions, mood etc through your vocal tone. In fact, speakers who master how to use vocal tone to make their presentations/speeches engaging achieve a connection with their audiences better than others. Words talk to the mind, tone speaks to the heart and the heart sways perceptions and attitudes.

Use vocal variety to create impact and achieve connection.

It seems obvious that eye contact will build a connection between people but it's easier said than done.
When I was being groomed into the communications industry, one of my numerous mentors and well-wishers explained to me that eye contact is a natural fundamental when one wants to make meaningful and deep connections.

In explaining his point he gave the example of a nursing mothers and their babies. He said that studies have shown that the strong bond between mothers and their babies is formed as they nurse their babies. The intense and close eye contact connects mom and baby in a way that nothing else can - so he said.

I never ventured to proof this theory but I must admit, as I have grown in my career, it has been proven over and over. Eye contact says, "I am sincere, I am trustworthy and I have nothing to hide". Mastering the art of scanning the room as you make your presentation and ensuring that you deliberate make eye contact with random members of the audience increases your credibility significantly. People like to know that you are talking to "them" and not to the "room".

Anyone who is determined and diligent can learn the technical skills of delivering a presentation- but that’s just one part of the equation. The second part will either enhance or dismantle the foundation laid by your skills.

That is “knowing your stuff” as they say.

When it comes to presentations or public speaking, content is truly king!

Remember, when you stand up to speak, you are addressing an audience that is already pumped-up and expectant. Why? Because the topic was already sold to them and you have been hyped as one of the experts on it. They have arrived with a mental attitude that they will learn from you; they will pick up a few choice nuggets that they will immediately employ in their own lives; through your presentation, their game will change for the better. They are pumped!

There is no greater credibility killer than delivering content that is average and badly researched. Your audience will feel cheated.
Even if you’re speaking on a familiar topic, your audience is anticipating a new angle on it.

Go the extra mile to position yourself as an expert on your topic. Knowledge builds credibility and opens future doors.

One of the worst feelings to have as a presenter is a sense that your audience just wants you to finish, yet you still have so much to share! You are hardly half way through your prepared presentation😟. Your anxiety levels rise and your confidence falls. That feeling is aggravated if you happen to turn and come face-to-face with a member of the audience who is just finishing off a long yawn. At that point, you graduate from slightly anxious to visibly flustered.

Situations like this do sometimes arise, unfortunately. Conscientious pre-planning is the only true remedy for them.

What does that mean?

It means knowing everything you need to know in order to ensure that you leave the podium while your audience is still enjoying you.

When you are invited to give a talk or make a presentation, the host will inform you how much time has been allocated to you on the programme. My recommendation is that you allow yourself a five-minute buffer period. That means if you have been given 30 minutes, make your presentation 25 minutes to allow for the interruptive dynamics of the room.

During your preparation, ensure that your message is concise but complete by matching the purpose of the topic, your appreciation of the audience and time duration allocated. That means choosing the priority points of your topic and avoiding the temptation to cover too much. What has worked for me is selecting three or five or seven points (depending on the time), allowing room for ample explanation and an anecdote or two.
Numbering my point - even if it's in my head - helps me keep track.

As you rehearse, time yourself. If you are using PowerPoint, use the presentation timer to help you.

We’re on lesson 5.
I love this one.

The person who first showed me the effectiveness of story-telling was my father. Professionally, he was a teacher, but hee was also a ”lay-preacher” at our church.

At home, when there was something serious to talk about - whether it was a discipline issue or major change in our lives, he always started the discussion with a question, followed by an anecdote or a story. By the time he got to his point, the message would have been well-received and understood already. I found the stories so impactful. Not only did they hold my attention, but they also made the point that was being made so memorable.

I think that’s why the Bible is full of narratives and parables.

I believe the human mind grasps concepts and principle better when they are cushioned in a story than when they are presented as hard core concepts. Stories make abstract truths more relatable. They bring difficult-to-understand ideas to life and achieve appreciation quicker and better.

After hooking your audience with a great introduction, keep them connected with a powerful and relevant story.

Recently, I was marvelling to my daughter at how short attention spans have become in recent years. I had been reading something about social media and how to hook your audience in seconds and keep them on your page for the duration of your post.

But, later - on further reflection - I realised that, perhaps it’s not that attention spans have become shorter, but, rather, that there is so much information out there that “decision spans” have become shorter.

What do I mean by “decision span”?
I mean the time between hearing the few seconds of a video or audio clip or reading the first two sentences of a post or document, and choosing to stay on it. People have lost patience because they feel that there is so much to take their interest, they don’t want to waste time on non-value adding things. So they move on at the first sign that there is no value for them.

When one is making a presentation, it is good to keep this in mind. Your introduction must hook your audience so that you see them sit up and give you full attention. While they may not walk out, they still have the prerogative to switch off and start day-dreaming.

The bad thing for them is that they might miss out on really valuable information. The bad this for you as the speaker is that they may go away with a less-than-positive impression of the presentation and maybe misjudge your capabilities. You have to start strong. Your troduction absolutely matter.

A key element of your preparation is practising your speech. My method of practising is a little odd but it works for me.
After structuring my presentation, I like to write it out in full, with each point and it’s elaboration being attended to individually. I read each point out loud to myself before I proceed to the next one. While I know that it is part of a larger presentation, I like to here how it sounds on its own and whether I am placing emphases in the right places to achieve the impact I desire.

After the paragraph practices, I then read the full presentation and assess whether there is a logical progression of ideas.

I practise a great deal in front of a mirror so that I have an idea of what people see as I speak to them. I repeat the speech out loud so that I get accustomed to hearing my own voice say the words I’ve written. That process helps me to internalize (NOT memories) my presentation.

When I have done that, I reduce the presentation back to notes or bullets so that I’m not “reading” it during my presentation.

My final rehearsal is at the event. I always arrive early so that I can familiarise with the room and adjust to the sound of my own voice via the PA system.

That is my process. Because we are all different, we will need different methods of preparation. The point is to ensure that you practice - at least a couple of times. Going in “cold” is not advisable.

Speak with Impact
Lesson No.2.
When you are invited to speak or to MC an event, the person invite will generally give you a bit of a background as to what the event is about, what they hope to achieve and what the main topic or theme is. They will also give you some context - that is, whether there are other speakers apart from yourself, and the topics the other speakers will be covering. I like to ask details about the structure of the event because it guides how I plan my part of the programme.

Let’s say I am attending as the Master of Ceremonies - it is important for me to study sufficiently around each speaker’s topic for two main reasons:
1. So that I can introduce the topic and speaker properly and link it knowledgeably to the main theme of the event. A proper introduction lays the groundwork for the speaker to be received well and to be confident when he or she stands up. And…
2. So that you can link the presentations and create a united story throughout the event. That way the event flows and the audience can make sense of it and you avoid it feeling disjointed. As the MC, that cohesion is your responsibility.

Let’s say you are one of the speakers. Knowing who speaks before and after you helps you structure your presentation so that you relate backwards to the previous topic and, at the end, relate forward to the next topic. You will win the respect of your co-speakers and the appreciation of the event host.

Your own presentation must have clear structure. I have found that using a storytelling style is more memorable and relatable to most audiences. However, other styles of delivery will work just as well if executed well. The key is to understand yourself (as the main tool of delivery) and use a style that exposes your most favourable qualities.

Your introduction must make your audience sit up and pay attention, while your conclusion must make them want to hear more. The body must have clear points, each with its own elaboration, anecdote, example or other tools to enhance understanding and appreciation of the point being made.

So, when you think of structure, think beyond you own presentation, and your impact will go further.

Here we go. Lesson number 1 of learning to Speak with Impact.

For me it’s knowing my audience. Yes, even before studying the topic on which I am to present, I must know my audience. If you ask anyone for who I have given a presentation or MC’d, they will tell you that after asking date and venue (for Diarising purposes) my next question is “Who is the audience?” or “Who are the guests?”. Why? Because whatever the host is doing her/her priority is to ensure that the people get value for money or value for their time whichever the case my be. So, my job is to understand their guests/audience as well as they do - even if they are varied. Knowing them is a key step in the preparation of my presentation in terms of content, depth, language, tone, humour, mood…the works. For me, it is not possible to start anything without being guided by knowing the recipients of your presentation. They anchor all your other preparatory efforts.
For instance, I have a grooming, deportment and etiquette course that I offer in the market. One might think there’s little to adjust from one audience to another. However, for me it does not work that way. While the base content may be the same, I customise the detail of the presentation to each and every audience.
What does that achieve?
In one word, “Connection”!
When your presentation is nuanced to suit your audience in all its details, the audience response will always be highly positive. The connection is not at the level of intellect - it’s, rather, at the level of emotion and emotions are fed from the detail and not the words.

I could share a few stories about how this has worked for me but I’ll leave it here for now.