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“Everyone tells me
that I talk too fast.”
We hear that all
the time from our clients. But the solution isn’t to speak slower.
Most "fast talkers" really just need to throw in some pauses.
Many people are
told that they speak too fast. But no one speaks so fast that they
can’t be understood. The fastest speakers speak around 175 to 180
words per minute. The human ear can perceive over 300 words a
minute.
When people speak
too fast, usually that means that they speak in a continuous
uninterrupted stream, never letting the audience digest the ideas.
Pausing gives your listeners a chance to catch up with you.
Pause for two to
three seconds. In our workshops, we have people read the following
phrase:
“A pause shows
poise . . . control . . . confidence . . . .
use it . . . master it.”
And we force
participants to hold the pause longer than it feels comfortable.
Even a short pause can seem very long if you’re not used to pausing.
Whatever you do,
however, don’t actually slow down your rate of speech. Slow speakers
tend to sound dull and tentative. Fast talkers have energy.
And energy is a
good thing so long as there are some pauses to help the audience
digest your ideas.
At Speechworks we
help our clients learn how to communicate in a way that connects and
persuades. If you’re interested in becoming a great communicator
give us a call at 404-266-0888 or check out our website at
www.speechworks.net. |
