The Power Pause in Public Speaking
and why it’s so powerful

Projecting confidence and authority in public speaking is both easier and harder than it looks. It’s easier because hitting the mark as a speaker isn’t really about your title (although that may help set expectations.)

And it’s harder because as much as you might want it to be so, you’re not going to be judged only on what you know. This is also about how you communicate what you know.

If you think about those you’ve watched deliver speeches, give presentations or simply contribute to meetings, consider what separates those who seem to appear confident and authoritative from those who don’t.

It’s not about always having a ready answer. It’s certainly not about having the loudest voice in the room or having the spotlight.

Confidence and authority come only when you let your audience come along with you as you communicate.

That means hesitating and qualifying every statement or simply taking too long to make a point won’t fill your audience with confidence in what you’re saying. Neither will rushing your audience to judgement with a torrent of information they may not understand.

Taking the audience with you means using the power of the pause. The advantage you have when you speak in public is immediate feedback.
Are they staying interested? Are they appearing bored or puzzled?
You’ll know if you’re paying attention.

Their power in listening to you in person is seeing and hearing you in real time. Do you sound confident? Do you look authoritative, authentic? What does that look and sound like when you take the spotlight?

Learn to get comfortable with the silence, a powerful pause at key points.
Even if you’re someone who tends to speak at a faster pace, especially under pressure of speaking in front of people, give your audience planned times to catch up. Let them consider what’s being said. Space those pauses after you’ve made a key point and even write reminders to yourself in your notes if you have to. If presenting with slides, pause before starting each one in the beginning, until you get used to giving your audience a moment.

The results will be an audience more engaged, and a reputation for being poised and more confident. (And yes, get the content right too.)