Powerful Pauses

Take your time when speaking and maximise the power of the pause.

For those of you who have seen The King's Speech, you'll know instantly what I am referring to, for those of you who haven't seen it yet here's a little more explanation...

Our brains work at around 450 words per minute and generally we speak at around 150 words per minute. That means our listeners are busy thinking about all sorts of other things while we are speaking, not just about what we are saying or have just said!

To help your listeners take in your key points and remember your message do the following:

1. Don't speak too fast!
2. Repeat your message in different ways
3. Use powerful pauses

A pause is a great aid to a speaker. It allows thinking time for the audience AND the speaker (thinking such as: "hmm, now, what is it I'm going to say next??"); by avoiding filler words, making the message loud and clear; and by adding dramatic twist to the presentation, such as those in The King's Speech.

Whatever the reason for your pause, whether it be for a speech impediment or simply to slow down your rapid-fire-words, make them powerful.

Three viewpoints, one purpose

I was invited to a Rotary guest evening in Cambridge last night and spent an enjoyable evening listening to Doug Sanders, journalist & author of "Arrival City", Julie Spence, Chief Constable of Cambridgeshire 2005-2010 and Mohammad Razai, a 25yo clinical medical student at Cambridge, and former asylum seeker.

The interesting thing I noticed was the way in which the points were made: Without emotion. Factual. With the brief exception of Mohammad Razai - no-one could fail to be moved by his story of life in Kabul and being smuggled to the UK at the age of 15 after his father and uncle were imprisoned and murdered. Yet he too stuck to the facts.

Most of the time I am encouraging people to include an emotional draw into their presentations. To "bring them to life" by appealing to the listener's emotions. To make full use of Pathos.

Yet last night was a detailed, factual, grown-up discussion.

Interesting then that I can remember a few points made by Doug, a few points made by Julie and most of those made by Mohammad.

Perhaps emotion does have a part to play after all?