Minimizing Uptalk and Improving Your Credibility as a Leader or Influencer

Today we’re talking about uptalk and how to minimize and even eliminate uptalk altogether.

Wait let’s do that again:

Today we’re talking about uptalk and how to minimize and even eliminate uptalk altogether.

Much better.

Hear the difference between those two?

OK let’s get into it.

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What is uptalk?

According to the Oxford Dictionary’s definition:

Uptalk is “a manner of speaking in which declarative sentences are uttered with rising intonation at the end, as if they were questions.”

Put simply, it’s making an utterance sound like a question even though it’s not a question.

Think about what a question is.

We ask questions when expressing uncertainty, eliciting information, seeking clarity, raising a doubt, checking information, and voicing confusion. 

It’s the opposite of making a statement, asserting yourself, and sounding certain.

In many communication settings, particularly professional ones, using uptalk when you intend to make an assertive statement, might be problematic in that the listeners could perceive the uptalk as a lack of confidence and authority. Meaning, it could undermine your credibility as a leader, expert or influencer.

While not everyone might interpret uptalk as unprofessional or insecure, it’s best to minimize it and if you can avoid it altogether...unless of course you are actually asking a question.

Here are my five tips to minimize uptalk:

Self Awareness

When do you most use uptalk? With friends and in social settings? In meetings and in business contexts? When you’re unsure? When you’re nervous? When you feel uncomfortable or insecure? When? To do this video record yourself having a short conversation. Of course, get the consent of your conversation partner before pressing record and explain to them the aim of this: to check your use of uptalk. It will be highly informative to understand the conversation environment that this uptalk surfaces. Building that self-awareness will allow you to take action and address the uptalk.

Mind Body Connection

As you lower your voice, lower your head as you finish the sentence (this can help the kinesthetic learners associate the lowering of the intonation with the lowered movement of the head. If you’re not comfortable with lowering your head use another physical movement such as lowering arms. You might want to try doing this at the beginning of  your transition away from uptalk into assertive speaking so that you make the connection. Then feel free to wean off from it if you choose.

Believe in Yourself

Be confident in what you say. If you truly believe in what you’re saying. Speaking confidently comes first from believing you’re confident. If you’re shy or unsure about something you’re sharing, then try to get over that feeling as quickly as possible. 

Why’re You Credible?

Remind yourself why you are credible. Are you a subject matter expert? Have you done ample research in this area? What makes you credible to relay this information? Remind yourself of that and harness the energy you feel from those qualifications. If you can’t think of anything right off the bat, you might need time for introspection. There are many reasons why you’re qualified and credible. You just have to find them, remind yourself of them, and believe in yourself, once again.

Repeat Declarative Sentences

Familiarize yourself with lowering your intonation at the end of an utterance. Say declarative sentences out loud. Since you’re doing this in the privacy of your own space, feel free to have fun with this exercise. You can do this in the form of affirmations, writing out “I am” statements and reciting them aloud. Or you can write out simple utterances about nothing in particular and read those out loud. If you’re not feeling particularly creative you can find an article or research paper to read from. Whatever utterances you choose, recite them out loud so that you can hear your intonation falling at the end of each utterance.

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Those are five ways to minimize uptalk. 

To recap, increase your self awareness by understanding the conversation setting and speaking environment in which you tend to use a rising inflection known as uptalk. Create a mind and body connection, as you lower your inflection, lower your head or hands to signal to your brain that you’re indeed lowering your intonation when you intend to. Believe in yourself and allow yourself to exude confidence. If you need to, give yourself a pep talk and remind yourself why you’re credible to share this information with the listeners. Lastly, recite declarative utterances: either in the form of affirmations, random statements or research papers that you read out loud. This will help you hear and feel a downward inflection more easily. 

Doing these exercises will enable you to minimize and perhaps even eradicate uptalk altogether. You will sound more assertive and act more confidently. It will also improve the way people respect you and you might even experience that boost in credibility. Practice these strategies, make them your own and add them to your communication toolkit. 

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Alright Explearners, thanks for joining me for this lesson! Share our channel and this lesson with anyone who’d like to improve their communication and social skills. I'll see you in the next one where we'll continue Explearning our next communication topic together! Happy Explearning :) ⚡

About the Author and the Explearning Academy:

Mary Daphne is an expert in communication, executive interpersonal skills, and personal development. She is the founder of the Explearning Academy, a platform dedicated to helping individuals enhance their social fluency, boost their careers, and elevate their social game. Through immersive group coaching programs like the Executive Communication Lab and self-guided journeys, participants gain the social superpowers and career catapults they've been searching for. If you're ready to take your negotiation skills to the next level and connect with like-minded individuals, visit academy.explearning.co and explore the various plans available. Join the Explearning Academy community and unlock your full potential.

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