When you make a phone call, does the person on the other end think you are a child?  When you answer the phone, does the caller ask to speak to your mother?  Do people assume you are less intelligent than they are because of the sound of your voice? 

For many people, a childlike voice is a major problem.  It discredits your communication skills and can work against you in your place of employment or in business deals.   I have worked with countless numbers of people who are challenged by a childlike tone.

If this is you, then it is possible that you're not getting that promotion or moving up the ladder because your voice does not instill confidence or maturity.  Remember the movie, Working Girl?  Unbeknownst to her boss Sigorney Weaver, Melanie Griffith took over her boss' job when Weaver broke her leg and would be out of the office for several weeks.    Secretary Melanie Griffith not only changed her wardrobe, her hair, her makeup and her jewelry, but she also enrolled in voice training because she knew that if she was going to succeed in impersonating Weaver, she not only had to improve her visual presence but she had to sound more mature and act like someone in a position of authority.

The childlike voice often has a whispery quality and when nervousness sets in, the pitch will raise even higher.   Sound familiar?  Today, Melanie Griffith prefers her 'bimbo' voice and it has definitely cost her better roles in acting. If you are 40 and sound like you're 12, it's time to make the change.  Without training, it will not improve on its own.