Articles | Public Speaking 101: The Power of Pausing

If you were to learn the art of public speaking, then you have to see to it that you do not only perfect using the power of your words but the power of your pauses as well. Keep in mind that as a speaker, you have to ensure that you deliver the piece in such a way that will be interesting and rousing for your audience, without necessarily tiring yourself out as well. Here are some things that you have to keep in mind for you to be able to maximize your use of your on-stage silences the next time that you speak in public. Go through the following techniques, commit them by heart, and make sure that you use them as much as you can the next time that you deliver a speech.

For one, you have to use your pauses to give your audience the impression that you are actually relaxed despite the fact that you are standing in front of all of them at that moment. After all, your audience will find it easier to listen to you if they know that you are unabashed by the fact that you are delivering a public speaking piece inside a very big hall. When you stop talking in between sentences, try to avoid gasping big mouthfuls of air. As much as possible, try to minimize the amount of sound that your audience will hear when you breathe. This will give them a better impression of your stress level, and will make them feel more relaxed as well.

Public speakers tend to get a little excited as they reach the most salient points of their speeches, which drives them to speak a little faster than usual. However, you have to see to it that you still maintain the proper number and length of pauses as you deliver your public speaking piece, so as to ensure that you audience will have enough time to catch up on what you are saying and actually digest your points. If you feel that you have already gotten away and that you have been talking way too fast, try pausing for a dramatic pause. This will help you audience catch up on the subject matter, and will give you a chance to catch your breath as well.

You may also use onstage silence to alternate between states of emotions as you go through the different parts of your public speaking piece. A good speech alternates between different states of emotions, which means that you have to give your audience the chance to alternate between these states as well. Before continue to express more serious concerns, make sure that you observe a few seconds of silence before you go on talking again. Pause for a while before you go back to a lighter note as well. This will help you ensure that your audience will be in the right frame of mind as they listen to you, and ensure that they will be reacting appropriately to the points that you will deliver.