Tag Archives: pausing

Slow Down … You Talk Too Fast!

(Now that many organizations have returned to in-person presentations and pitches, it’s time to polish up those delivery skills that may have gotten rusty with lack of use during the pandemic. So let’s consider that most workplace presenters talk to fast … )

That’s right, it’s time to slow you down.  An important component of vocal delivery, your pace or rate of speaking can impact your audience’s attention, interest and opinion of you along with your ability to pause effectively.

Slow Down

Just as audience members tend to perceive a soft-spoken speaker as lacking in confidence or credibility, they react similarly to a fast-talking speaker. It doesn’t matter if this perception is accurate or not, because their perception is your reality. You are what they think you are.

Each of us has a normal comfort zone range of speaking rate, influenced by varying physical, psychological and cultural factors. And for some people, that comfort zone is too fast for the typical audience. It makes listeners work too hard to keep up with them. Since they don’t like to work hard, they often tune out and turn off. They also can perceive fast-talkers as insincere, nervous or inept. Read More »

Slow Down … You Talk Too Fast!

(This month, we continue with deep dives into the physical and vocal delivery skills that can mask symptoms of Presentation Anxiety while projecting an image of confidence, credibility ad competence. So, let’s add reducing your delivery rate to your workplace presenter tool kits. Consider it a holiday gift from ‘Communicate Confidently!’) Read More »

Slow Down … You Talk Too Fast!

Once you’re comfortable speaking up with more volume and vocal energy, it’s time to slow you down. An important component of your vocal delivery, your pace or rate of speaking can also impact your audience’s attention, interest and opinion of you. So can your ability to pause effectively. Read More »

Slow Down … You Talk Too Fast!

It’s time to slow you down. An important component of your vocal delivery, your pace or rate of speaking can also impact your audience’s attention, interest and opinion of you. So can your ability to pause effectively. Read More »

Take Pause

” The most precious things in speech are the pauses.”   Sir Ralph Richardson, famed 20th century English stage and film actor

“Well-timed silence hath more eloquence than speech.”   Martin Farquhar Tupper, 19th century English writer and poet

‘The right word may be effective, but no word was ever as effective as a rightly timed pause.” – Mark Twain

(Wish I had said that … actually, I have.  A ‘Phil’s Faves’ often heard in my presentation skill workshops and executive coaching engagements is ‘Harness the Power of the Pause!’. And, … you can quote me.)

Slow Down … You Talk Too Fast!

Now that you’re all speaking up with more volume and vocal energy, it’s time to slow you down. An important component of your vocal delivery, your pace or rate of speaking can also impact your audience’s attention, interest and opinion of you. So can your ability to pause effectively.

Slow Down

Just as audience members tend to perceive a soft-spoken speaker as lacking in confidence or credibility, they react similarly to a fast-talking speaker. It doesn’t matter if this perception is accurate because their perception is your reality. You are what they think you are.

Read More »