The Pause

“To temporarily stop an action or speech briefly”.

Why is this so critical in our virtual or in-person presentations?

Simply stated, a pause or pauses throughout your speech gives your listeners time to process what you are saying. When information can be processed, it results in better attention, engagement and memory. Speaking too rapidly can cause listeners to tune out, not remember the information and even worse, remember the presentation as a negative experience. For the speaker, pauses can lead to the impression that you are confident, calm and very knowledgeable on the subject. Often times, a great place to pause is just after you have said an important statement, idea or thought. Listeners are more likely to hear, process and then remember it. The pause says- “TUNE IN”. Think about your most important ideas in your presentation and when you can, help your listeners better remember you and your message with a pause.