The VoiceMaster Teaches VOICE Leadership for Freeport Area of Bataan Locators

The Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan (AFAB) provides learning opportunities for its locators through capacity-building seminars. On November 13, AFAB organized a whole-day seminar on effective communication for HR managers and personnel at the AFAB Administration Building in Mariveles, Bataan. Their guest speaker is none other than a distinguished Bataeno, Filipino motivational speaker Pocholo “The VoiceMaster” Gonzales.

Pocholo’s training was about his flagship topic “VOICE Leadership.” He began by introducing his professional background and why he is recognized as the VoiceMaster of the Philippines. He gave the participants a glimpse of his company and the voice acting industry and even amazed them with his repertoire of character voices. Pocholo also spoke about his career as a motivational speaker, and how for over a decade, he has used his voice to inspire, motivate and empower his fellow Filipinos.

Such was the perfect transition to his main topic on VOICE Leadership. Pocholo engaged the audience in an interactive discussion of what it means to be a leader and asked the participants whether or not they consider themselves to be a leader. He then posed the question, “Do you SOUND like a leader?” and talked about the concept of vocal image. According to Pocholo, people make judgments about other people just by simply hearing their voices, and everyone has a preconceived notion of what a leader sounds like.

Pocholo discussed the psychology of voice and how each type of voice projects a certain image in the mind. He mainly focused on the breathy, nasal and gravelly voice – discussed their characteristics and what image they form in the minds of those who hear those voices. Pocholo also talked about the keys to achieving vocal power, so that people may speak in a way that conveys authority and love at the same time.

After lunch, Pocholo’s mentee, Filipino motivational speaker and trainer Ada Cuaresma, came onstage to speak about teamwork, and the “one thing” that makes a team work. In her talk entitled “REAL Talk,” Ada talked primarily about trust and how it can be cultivated within the team. She defined trust and gave what she called the “hierarchy of trust”. Ada also sported an interactive session by engaging the participants in various exercises focused on team dynamics, listening and managing conflict.

In the end, the 50+ participants learned valuable insights and skills on being effective leaders and communicators in their respective organizations.