PODCAST SCRIPT - PAUSES IN YOUR PRESENTATION

Your pause is as valuable as your voice itself. Some speakers might go as far as saying it’s more important. It was Britain’s eminent Shakespearean actor, Ralph Richardson, who said, "The most precious things in speech are pauses."

Pauses in your speech help you to complete two functions. Control breathing. And, build effect. Your breathing, as you’ve already found out, is pivotal to your success as a speaker. Natural pauses assist your breathing. They give you time to draw breath. They ensure that you are not out of breath with a long sentence. And, with better breathing comes more control over your own confidence. You are less prone to panic when you manage your breathing.

But it’s not just about your breathing. The pause is vital when you want to build effect. When you want to build suspense. A well-timed pause will have your audience wanting you to finish your line. They might even try to guess the line themselves. Either way they are captured by the effective pause.

Captured because it encourages their captive listening. Captured because it encourages their understanding. And, captured because it boosts their participation. Next, setting the pace of your presentation.