Why Good Posture Is Important During Meetings (Including Virtual)
March 19, 2021Stepping Into Another Person’s Shoes…
April 28, 2021Practice The Pause…
Effective communication involves effectively pausing. Pausing at effective times while speaking is, well, effective.
What happens when you pause in a presentation or a conversation? It helps:
– Eliminate junk or filler words;
– Gather your thoughts and smoothly continue;
– Aid in the pacing of your speech and delivery;
– Calm the speaker;
– Make your message resonate and process with your audience;
– Maintain eye contact;
– Emphasize the importance of specific points you want to make;
– Change your tone or transition your topic;
– Garner attention;
– Show others you’re intently listening;
– Give your audience time to laugh (hopefully when it’s your intention);
– Serve as an opportunity to ask or answer questions, insert thoughts and continue to converse.
For some people, pausing is not as easy as it sounds. Take a mindful breath when pausing. When making a presentation, practice practice practice – this will make your pauses sound and feel normal, and not awkward. Make a conscious decision when pausing in conversation to better convey your message. Pausing. It’s effective.