How to Use the Power of Pauses When Giving a Speech
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Posted in Communication
Have you ever known someone who talks so fast and non-stop you feel out of breath just listening to them? It’s easy to do the same thing when speaking from the platform. Skilled speakers use silence to add effectiveness to their presentation. Those who work in the theatre arts develop and practice several types of pause to improve the dynamics and emotions in their roles.
Here are three types of pause which can enhance a presentation.
Short
A short pause, lasting from a half to two seconds, serves to separate thoughts. All you have to remember is to slow down. Give the audience opportunity to absorb what you are saying. Change the inflection in your voice at the end of each thought to cue the audience that a new thought is coming. However, you want to be careful that the inflection change doesn’t sound the same at the end of each phrase. This will becoming annoying to the listener.
Spontaneous
Another effective pause is the “spontaneous” pause. Use these pauses to keep your presentation from looking memorized or over-rehearsed. For example, you could apply this pause when you want to pretend to search for the best word or phrase. You might also throw in a spontaneous pause before any phrase or word you want to emphasize.
Long
Pauses of more than three seconds can be powerful. They can force the audience to think about what you just said, or build anticipation for how you might complete your next thought.
Please… don’t be afraid to be quiet once in a while. It can dramatically increase your impact.
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