Sometimes the best thing to say is...Nothing.
- Date: 2007-09-30 - Word Count: 635
Share This!
As powerful as high-impact words can be, the Pause is one of the most important components of any talk, speech or conversation. It's been used for centuries, make that millennia, by the most charismatic and effective speakers, to move their audiences. And I'm not talking about the Pause as a moment to catch your breath - I'm talking about using the Pause for dramatic effect.
An easy way for many public speakers to incorporate the Pause into their speeches and talks, is by becoming aware of their filler words and phrases that are designed to fill what the speaker considers 'awkward moments' or uncomfortable silence. Filler words such as 'uhms' and 'ahs' clutter many speeches by otherwise capable communicators. Likewise, empty phrases such as 'if you will' or 'needless to say' or 'at the end of the day', have been nesting in our verbal arsenals for way too long. Get rid of them because they have become so cliche and over-used that they are nothing but verbal 'dead weight' that, instead of carrying your message, weighs it down.
By simply eliminating some of these fillers you've become accustomed to use, you are a few steps ahead in making the dramatic pause your friend. And if you're wondering whether you'll be able to get rid of the 'uhms' and 'ahs' you've been inserting into every presentation by the dozens, you can rest assured that once you start paying close attention to them, you'll start catching yourself very quickly whenever you utter them, training your mind to avoid using them more and more every time you speak.
But now, back to the key to powerful speeches, the Pause.
For the speaker, the Pause has two primary purposes:
For one, it allows the comments you make immediately before you pause to 'sink in' for the audience. Your final words before you pause will literally echo in their minds. Here's an easy test to experience this right away and witness the impact silence can have on perception and processing. Turn on the TV, listen for a couple of minutes to someone speaking, then turn off the sound and 'hear' what echoes in your mind. It will inevitably be what the speaker said last, before you turned off the sound.
The second immediate benefit of your pause, is that the next thing you say after you pause will instantly recapture the attention of your audience and highlight the first statement you make following your pause; for two simple reasons: it interrupts the silence and refocuses their attention, as well as satisfies their anticipation of what you were going to say next, after your dramatic pause.
Clearly, your pause has to be timed just right in order to have the desired effect on your audience.
Here are some reasons, including the above, why you should make the Pause a powerful component of your speaking skills repertoire:
Capture the initial attention of your audience
Allow the audience time to mentally answer a rhetorical question
Let a humorous comment or wit sink in
Build anticipation in what you are going to say next
Highlight an important statement immediately before or after you pause
Lend emphasis to a sentence or phrase by pausing in the middle of the sentence
Draw attention to a nonverbal cue, like a facial expression or gesture
To learn how to effectively use the Pause in order to make it part of your arsenal of speaking tools, listen to any recorded speech by John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr., Winston Churchill or Ronald Reagan, and 'feel' the impact the Pause has on your 'getting' the message. All of these great orators were masters of the use of Pause.
Remember, that without the strategic Pause, your speaking may become an uninspiring string of run-on sentences and a stream-of-consciousness dumping of data. None of which effectively conveys your message to an audience.
Gives you pause to think, doesn't it? ;)
An easy way for many public speakers to incorporate the Pause into their speeches and talks, is by becoming aware of their filler words and phrases that are designed to fill what the speaker considers 'awkward moments' or uncomfortable silence. Filler words such as 'uhms' and 'ahs' clutter many speeches by otherwise capable communicators. Likewise, empty phrases such as 'if you will' or 'needless to say' or 'at the end of the day', have been nesting in our verbal arsenals for way too long. Get rid of them because they have become so cliche and over-used that they are nothing but verbal 'dead weight' that, instead of carrying your message, weighs it down.
By simply eliminating some of these fillers you've become accustomed to use, you are a few steps ahead in making the dramatic pause your friend. And if you're wondering whether you'll be able to get rid of the 'uhms' and 'ahs' you've been inserting into every presentation by the dozens, you can rest assured that once you start paying close attention to them, you'll start catching yourself very quickly whenever you utter them, training your mind to avoid using them more and more every time you speak.
But now, back to the key to powerful speeches, the Pause.
For the speaker, the Pause has two primary purposes:
For one, it allows the comments you make immediately before you pause to 'sink in' for the audience. Your final words before you pause will literally echo in their minds. Here's an easy test to experience this right away and witness the impact silence can have on perception and processing. Turn on the TV, listen for a couple of minutes to someone speaking, then turn off the sound and 'hear' what echoes in your mind. It will inevitably be what the speaker said last, before you turned off the sound.
The second immediate benefit of your pause, is that the next thing you say after you pause will instantly recapture the attention of your audience and highlight the first statement you make following your pause; for two simple reasons: it interrupts the silence and refocuses their attention, as well as satisfies their anticipation of what you were going to say next, after your dramatic pause.
Clearly, your pause has to be timed just right in order to have the desired effect on your audience.
Here are some reasons, including the above, why you should make the Pause a powerful component of your speaking skills repertoire:
Capture the initial attention of your audience
Allow the audience time to mentally answer a rhetorical question
Let a humorous comment or wit sink in
Build anticipation in what you are going to say next
Highlight an important statement immediately before or after you pause
Lend emphasis to a sentence or phrase by pausing in the middle of the sentence
Draw attention to a nonverbal cue, like a facial expression or gesture
To learn how to effectively use the Pause in order to make it part of your arsenal of speaking tools, listen to any recorded speech by John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr., Winston Churchill or Ronald Reagan, and 'feel' the impact the Pause has on your 'getting' the message. All of these great orators were masters of the use of Pause.
Remember, that without the strategic Pause, your speaking may become an uninspiring string of run-on sentences and a stream-of-consciousness dumping of data. None of which effectively conveys your message to an audience.
Gives you pause to think, doesn't it? ;)
Related Tags: coaching, training, presentation skills, sales presentations, social anxiety, confidence, speaking, public speaking, fear of public speaking, presentations, social skills, media training, business presentations, speech coaching
Harrison Monarth is a New York Times bestselling author and speaker, and is the President of GuruMaker - School of Professional Speaking, a communications consulting firm that coaches Fortune 500 executives, political candidates and entrepreneurs in the art of influence, presentation and message development. To purchase your copy of Harrison's recent book The Confident Speaker, go to http://www.theconfidentspeaker.com . Your Article Search Directory : Find in Articles
Recent articles in this category:
- 10 Mistakes to Avoid When Writing an Article
Here are 10 mistakes that writers tend to make when writing articles for newsletters or magazines. K - Invigorate Your Healthcare Writing With Words That Are Short, Sweet, And Full of Energy
There are certain kinds of phrasing and word choice, especially in official statements, that can soa - The Case For Customizing Content
You have to consider every angle when you are writing. There are lots of rules to follow and tips to - Writing Strategies For Creating Viral Content
For anybody involved in content marketing the need to develop writing strategies that will produce t - Three Key Ways a Writing Coach Can Improve Your College Admission Essay
In an article entitled "Writing The Essay: Sound Advice from an Expert", Parke Muth, Senior Assistan - Acquiring A Fantastic Proxy - Proxy List
A proxy or proxy server is applied for both effortless obtain to your certain useful resource like a - Turnkey Sites & Website Templates - A Comparison
I'm constantly finding emails soon after a person buys a offer of Site Desing templates. Some men an - Standard Manual For Laptop Or Computer Elements & Software
For many people today, computer system sections plus the innards of the computer system are anything - Different Kinds Of Cameras Can Be Used For Webcams
There are many physical components that make the technology of the PC camera webcam work. The import - What Can Pc Camera Webcam Bring To Us And How It Works?
The PC camera webcam can be used in a wide range of aspects. Such as personal "Big Brother" style di
Most viewed articles in this category:
- Don't Put Off Writing that Book!
If writing that book you've always had in mind tops your list of resolutions or regrets, hiring a wr - How To Write A Better Press Release
A press release is the most effective way to generate free publicity for your business or organizati - Writing on the Hoof
Finding inspiration when you are writing is often a haphazard affair. When you are physically ready - Focus On Nigeria
Focus on Nigeria Nigеria is a natural gas and oil rich country that is bordеrеd b - How to Write Great Dialogue in Your Book
Dialogue isn't so much read as it is heard by the reader. The eyes see the words on the page, the b - Women SUV Driver from www.thefrap.com
Why do so many women drive around in the oversized SUV's, the Tahoe, Excursion, Escalade - How To Write Good Articles
As a writer you may be ready to cash in on the need for web content. There is a lot of money that c - NEWS FLASH: Technical Communicator Saves World
I had a boss several years ago who was amused by my earnest and relentless preaching about the impor - Writers Resources
Writers use certain inherent talents to come up with their pieces of writing. However, they do need - Popular Articles
Articles are those that are available in plenty these days in the internet. The articles are written