When you’re in front of your superiors and colleagues, whether in person or online, what you say and do matters.

Here are some ways to project yourself as a smart and confident employee, be it while conducting a presentation or simply sharing an idea.

1. Talk at the right time

Commenting on a topic you are not familiar with will make you sound ignorant. Try and divert the conversation towards more familiar ground.

Alternatively be open and honest about not knowing much about the subject, so you can be more informed.

2. Don’t be afraid of staying silent

Most people at work tend to ramble during a presentation. Pausing adds thoughtfulness to your speech and actually creates emphasis.

The silence can also be a way to regain your colleagues’ attention if they have only been half listening.

3. Avoid ‘vocal fry’ and other irritants

Annoying and distracting vocal habits can negatively affect how speakers are perceived. The most common offenders are “uptalk” – a rising intonation that pronounces statements as if they were questions – and “vocal fry”, where sentences end in a raspy growl.

Speaking with these bad habits conveys insecurity and ineptitude.

4. Keep close attention to your voice

Think about voices that engage you – the different vocal frequencies and the person’s ability, ease and confidence while speaking.

By being aware of your voice and listening carefully to yourself, you will be able to refine how you speak, especially in front of groups of people.

5. Speak loudly but not forcefully

Projecting your voice will take a lot of practice, but speaking clearly and confidently so everyone can hear you is a great skill.

That said, try to avoid shouting as it puts your listeners on edge and may severely affect your voice.

6. Avoid using mindless language

Using cliches, buzzwords or “intelligent” terms without a proper sense of their meaning can make you appear to be trying too hard, and can cause your listeners to tune out.

7. Improve your posture

Whether standing or sitting, maintain an upright posture but with a relaxed spine. This displays self-assuredness, and places you in a comfortable and confident mental and physical state while speaking.

This article first appeared in jobstore.com.

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