Giving a speech is not a Formula 1 race. But if you find yourself speeding through your speeches and presentations, you may have to make a few adjustments under the hood to correct your performance and improve your audience’s attention and retention. Fortunately, we’re here as a pace car to help get you down to safe speeds.
Why Pacing Matters in Public Speaking
Do you know someone that has a tendency to speak very quickly and dominate conversations? How does it feel after a few moments when you realize that they’re not really interested in your thoughts in the conversation? Perhaps you get the impression that they’re nervous and babbling. Do you sometimes start to disconnect with people like that?
Proper pacing in speeches and presentations works in a similar way. Although presentations usually go in one direction- you’re speaking towards an audience- proper pacing gives your listeners room to interact mentally. Just as you might quietly realize a conversation is only going one-way, audience members that aren’t given time to process information can start to disconnect.
You’re actually running your audience off the road, as it were, if you don’t realize the need to mind your speed. The problem is, some people have always been fast drivers, while others seem to get a heavier foot at the wrong times.
Top Reasons You Speak Too Fast and How to Overcome Them
There’s typically 3 reasons why someone will speed through their presentations: too much information, nervousness, and a lack of practice. Let’s look at how we can improve on each of these:
- Information Overload: How Too Much Content Speeds You Up
If you don’t feel like have enough time to cover your topic, then consider limiting the amount of information you’re sharing. Obviously, some topics are more complicated than others, and you don’t want to ignore obvious points. But consider your goal. Are you trying to teach your audience everything about your complicated subject in a few short minutes, or trying to help them understand the importance of one aspect of it? Often, an effective presentation will share just enough to spark curiosity and a desire to learn more about it after. Try to focus on simpler points that makes the audience curious and confident that the subject is within their reach.
- Nervousness and Anxiety: Slowing Down by Being Mindful
Of course, sometimes we feel great about our presentation, but we end up getting nervous or excited and speak faster than we intend to. Many of us have been stopped for driving a little faster than we should. We all do it from time to time. What’s important is to be mindful of the tendency and be ready to use simple tricks to tap the brake.
For example, if you’re hitting a turn by sharing new information on a well-known subject, tap the brake by pausing briefly so your audience can think about it. The bigger the point, the bigger the brake. The bigger the change in viewpoint, the slower the acceleration as you explain the impact.
- Lack of Practice: The Role of Preparation and Coaching
Most pacing problems comes from a lack of familiarity with the track. Many accidents happen on unfamiliar roads. In the same way, the majority of speakers fail to rehearse properly or enough to really feel comfortable with their vehicle or the road they’re traveling.
And while Formula 1 drivers only get 2 to 3 practice runs on a given track, they also have professional coaches relaying information to them as they go through every turn. Most presenters do not have that luxury.
In that case, the role of preparation cannot be emphasized enough. You may not have a professional coach to help you make huge improvements, but you can smooth out your pace with determined practice. Practice, practice, practice. Then practice again.
For professionals that often give presentations where millions of dollars are on the line, not having a coach is like changing your own tires and refilling your own gas in your own pitstop. How can you compete like that?! In those situations, your pacing is probably the least of your worries.
Pedal to the Metal: Why Speed Does Not Always Win
A race car driver’s speed presents both an advantage and a risk. It may be clear that the driver has the skill to control the vehicle, but speed can be dangerous in unsafe conditions. For instance, heavy fog can severely limit the drivers visibility.
In the same way, complicated conditions created by multiple data points can limit the visibility the audience has of where you’re going. They may even lose you completely in the fog. It’s important to be able to identify when you’re the one creating those situations. Sometimes it’s unavoidable, other times it’s tangents or data that are unnecessary to make your point.
Of course, supporting data is important to provide evidence for an important point. But be careful that you’re not introducing confusing details that limits the audience’s visibility and your ability to travel through the subject at a safe pace.
Strategies for Maintaining an Effective Speaking Pace
As mentioned before, it’s better to slow down and explain simpler points well, rather than adding unnecessary data that steals precious time and confuses the audience. Effective pausing is also important. Here are a couple more tips to help you travel at a comfortable pace:
- Breathing Techniques to Maintain a Steady Pace
If you struggle with nervousness or anxiety, than your pace problems are likely also connected to your breathing techniques. While this is a larger subject that requires it’s own post, here are a couple of quick tips that can make a big difference.
Physiological Sigh: Anyone that has ever given a public presentation has felt the excitement and the momentary shortness of breath that accompanies it. In those situations, our reflex is to take short, clipped breaths into our chest. When we start speaking quickly from that limited resource, we find ourselves feeling like we’re running out of breath and unable to catch up. This can lead to a snowball effect of increasing anxiety and increased shortness of breath.
Enter the physiological sigh. The physiological sigh is a breathing technique made famous by Dr. Andrew Huberman, a neuroscientist and associate professor of neurobiology at Stanford University. These sighs naturally occur spontaneously, whether we are awake or asleep. They open the lungs to bring in more oxygen and offload carbon dioxide. They also activate a specific neural circuit between the brain and the diaphragm, making it highly effective in managing stress and nervousness from public speaking.
The diaphragm is very important, because diaphragmatic breathing is key to maintaining proper air control during speeches, which we’ll get to in a minute. But the magic of the physiological sigh is that it can be performed voluntarily. And while it’s incredibly helpful before getting onstage, consider performing one at the very beginning of your presentation.
Start by creating a natural pause in your outline to allow you to take a deep breath. You can start by asking a thought provoking question, or introducing a slide or visual aid. Pause and quietly take a very deep breath, and then a quick, short, second inhale, like you’re packing your lungs with the last bit of air you can fit. Slowly exhale as you continue speaking. You will likely feel a rush of calm and you will activate your diaphragm. And if done well, your audience will not even notice.
Diaphragmatic Breathing. For the rest of your presentation, you’ll want to stay mindful of where your breath is going. Again, when we’re nervous, we’re prone to taking short breaths into our chests. This can lead to shortness of breath and increased nervousness. When you’re breathing from the diaphragm, you’ll enjoy reduced blood pressure, heart rate, and improved relaxation.
The diaphragm is a large muscle located at the base of your lungs. When your abdominal muscles help move the diaphragm, instead of your chest, you have more power and capacity in your lungs.
How to identify your diaphragm:
- Lie on a flat surface like a couch or bed. Make yourself comfortable. You can use a pillow under your knees to support your legs.
- Place one hand high on your chest and the other just below your rib cage.
- Breathe in slowly through your nose so that your stomach moves out, causing your hand to rise. That’s your diaphragm working. The hand on your chest should remain as still as possible.
Now that you’ve identified your diaphragm, it’s important to make a practice of taking deep breathes into that area. Whether you’re practicing your presentations, or chatting with people at a coffee shop, try to make diaphragmatic breathing a habitual part of your life. Don’t worry about whether it sticks your stomach out. Once you get used to it, you’ll be able to maintain proper posture and practice better breathing technique.
- Using Pauses Effectively for Emphasis and Clarity
As mentioned previously, pausing is very important to help your audience keep pace with your presentation. Pausing may require that you have to trim down some information that is unnecessary. But there is a word of caution in regard to pausing. Do not overuse the pause. Pausing after heavy points or in the course of a natural discussion should play a part in slowing your pace. But it shouldn’t be you’re only method. If you pause. After every sentence. It may seem. Kind of strange.
The good news is that there are a lot of different ways to down-shift and justify pauses. One of those is by asking rhetorical questions. This gives you an opportunity to let off the gas and give the audience time to answer the question in their mind. Again, don’t overuse them- could you imagine if all you did was ask rhetorical questions!? Do you think that would annoy you?
- Practice Makes Habit: Iterative Rehearsals
A good friend of mine always says: “practice makes habit, nobody’s perfect.” It’s a great lesson with regard to public speaking. I’ve never given a speech that was 100% perfectly the way I wrote it or practiced it. And I’ve never given the same speech exactly the same. What I have always done is practice the outline until I knew it so well that I could move around within it and adjust to imperfections. In this way, some of my outlines that I’ve given many times have become like sharing old stories.
This level of familiarity makes certain main points feel like habit- moving from one thought to another without any effort. Of course, you may not have the luxury of time when preparing for a last-minute work presentation, but the principle is the same. Practice until you’re comfortable with the main points, and reject the desire to be perfect.
The reality is, one of your practice sessions will probably be perfect. And no one will ever see that version. That’s okay. Because if you got to that place, your slightly imperfect version will still be 90% better than anyone will be expecting.
From Speed to Success: Embrace the Right Pace for Better Public Speaking
At the end of the day, a speech filled with unnecessary data delivered at break-neck speed will only exhaust and disconnect an audience. Even if the speaker has a good control of nerves and a command of the stage, if the pace of the information is passing the audience like a racecar he will still lose the race to his audience’s hearts.
If you’re naturally a fast-talker, or you tend to speak more quickly when you get nervous, consider applying some of these simple techniques into your presentations. Give your audience an opportunity to enjoy the drive and take in the views. Take them to your destination in a comfortable and memorable way.
If your career demands that your speaking skills improve, then consider investing in professional coaching. Getting feedback from public speaking experts can be a great help in identifying parts of your speaking style that could use improvement.
Ready to Slow Down and Speak Up? Contact Us for Professional Public Speaking Coaching
At the Speaking Guild, we provide professional speaking coaching to help you identify your particular strengths and weakness. If you want to take your presentations to another level, please CONTACT US
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