The Power of the Pause

Does your audience have problems understanding you? Do you notice them getting distracted? Are you worried that your foreign accent stops them from understanding you?
If this sounds like you, let me tell you a secret:
Most of the time it’s not your accent or your voice that’s the problem, it’s simply because you’re speaking too fast.

Often my clients tell me their audience doesn’t understand them because of their accent. But usually, the problem is that they don’t pause enough.

So, what happens if you speak too fast?

• You don’t leave time for your audience to digest what you’re saying & they disconnect.
• You don’t have enough time to breathe properly & then you blush, tremble, sweat, forget your train of thought etc.

Whereas if you integrate the pause & silences after 3-5 words, your audience has time to get used to your accent. They follow what you’re saying more easily.
Also, you will be breathing better & you won’t be suffering from all the bad side effects of nervousness.

Mark Twain once said:
“The right word may be effective, but no word was ever as effective as a rightly timed pause.”
This is advice that’s followed by the greatest public speakers. Just listen to Barack Obama, Steve Jobs or Oprah Winfrey speaking & you’ll notice that they have a regular pace with lots of pausing.

Would you, too, like to gain impact when you Speak in Public?
Please do reach out to learn more about my specific coaching approach, helping you to feel confident and comfortable each time you need to communicate effectively.