Maximizing Your Leadership Voice: The Power of Singing

As women who are creating a legacy through our work as leaders in entrepreneurship, our voice is our value. From brand messaging and copy, to presenting to a wide variety of audiences, to connecting with your internal voice as you make entrepreneurial decisions, leading change requires a strong voice, and there’s no greater power than in trusting your own.
Our relationship with our voice is often complicated. It seems everyone has a story around their voice; they were told they were too loud, too quiet – or in my line of work, told they couldn’t sing. Most often, clients tell me they’ve never liked the sound of their own voice. How can you ever have a powerful voice in your industry or stand up and encourage people to see, speak, and think in different ways if you don’t even like your own voice? As a board-certified music therapist and creative vocal coach, my passion and expertise is using music as a tool for empowering leaders and entrepreneurs to overcome limiting beliefs around their voice to develop dynamic voices and expand their impact. I give women tools to allow their vocal expression of themselves to match their inner brilliance. Being intentional with our voice is the foundation for building trust, authenticity, and impact. Singing is a playful way to put these into practice.
Let’s explore where music and leadership intertwine.
Leading change requires a strong voice, and there’s no greater power than in trusting your own.
Warming Up
Preparation is key to optimizing our voices. Speaking is a full-body experience! Just as an athlete stretches and warms up before a marathon, preparing our body and voice are necessary for maintaining energy and stamina while we speak. Vocal warm-ups help to stretch the vocal folds, release tension, calm the nervous system, and prepare us to sound our best.
Breath
Every musical phrase is an opportunity to begin again. From knowing how to send the right amount of air to complete a sentence or when to take a beat in the form of an intentional pause, breath is just as important as our words. Through singing, we learn to use breath for power, support, and to convey our message with confidence.
Adding Textures
Voice work helps develop your full vocal range. It’s not just what you say, but how you say it. Creative voice coaching increases awareness and playfulness around intonation (variation of tones in our voice), cadence (the rhythm at which we speak), emphasis (stressing important words or phrases), and enunciation (how we articulate), ensuring that you’re both clear and captivating.
Authentically You
Music gives us tools for deeper expression. You can be well-polished and rehearsed, but true authenticity comes from connecting to yourself. I offer my clients individualized accompaniment tracks to practice hearing themselves and to learn what makes their voice unique.
Staying Present
Singing is a mindfulness practice. When you’re in the creative process it’s hard to be anywhere else. Singing allows us to practice making mistakes. If you hit a wrong note or forget a word, the song keeps moving – the show must go on! Similarly, you can gracefully flow through moments of vulnerability, allowing your audience to remain connected with you.
True authenticity comes from connecting to yourself. Music gives us tools for deeper expression.
Creative voice coaching is for those who love to sing and are looking to explore the potential of their voice. Whether you join me on this exploration or sing in the shower, I hope you’ll take up space, turn up the volume, and own your voice!
TLDR: Discover how singing can enhance your relationship with your voice, build confidence, and empower you as a leader in entrepreneurship. Explore practical tips for vocal warm-ups, breath control, adding texture to your voice, and staying present.
Lisa Townsend, MT-BC, is a board-certified music therapist and vocal coach who has spent over 15 years helping clients use music as a tool for self-discovery. From building and leading teams and developing programs in nonprofits serving marginalized communities, to working at schools with youth using music for social change, Lisa is steadfast in her belief that everyone is musical. Lisa’s passion and expertise is in helping emerging leaders overcome limiting beliefs around their voice, channel their creativity through singing, and learn to love and trust their voice so they can lead with confidence and authenticity.
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