Stillness speaks. How can you command the attention of many with silence?
Wednesday: Speak on the Shoulders of Giants
Mastering the art of public speaking, or at least effectively getting one’s message across, is an important skill everyone has to learn regardless of their job title
After all, any outstanding content is of no use if it is not delivered properly.
Which is why every Wednesday, I find it helpful to publish tips, insights, and secrets to help you, as an independent professional, improve your presentation skills and lead interesting discussion.
Keep reading to learn how you can use silence to effectively capture your audience’s attention.
I hope you find this week’s topic beneficial as you prepare for your next big presentation.
Miles Everson
CEO, MBO Partners
Chairman of the Advisory Board, The I Institute
Speak on the Shoulders of Giants
A couple of years back, President and CEO of Valens Research, Professor Joel Litman, conducted an Investing and Finance masterclass in Asia.
Attendees were chatting with one another and busy with other things as he went to the front of the room. They didn’t notice.
He just stood there.
30 seconds…
Eventually, and even suddenly, all the attendees kept quiet and looked at him, ready to listen.
It took only 30 seconds (maybe even less) of not saying anything and just standing there, looking at the audience.
There were no fancy flash presentations or videos before his class. No one called for their attention before it started.
There was only… stage silence.
Everyone was ready and intrigued. All eyes were on him. He had everyone’s attention.
—That’s when he started the masterclass.
This public speaking secret is called THE POWER PAUSE.
James C. Humes’ book, “Speak Like Churchill, Stand Like Lincoln” contains powerful secrets of the greatest speakers in history. One of those secrets is the Power Pause.
There is no exact part of a presentation that you have to use this.
As an independent speaker, it doesn’t have to be before you start talking. It can be at any part of your presentation to keep the audience “on their toes” on what you have to say next.
This is where you generate audience anticipation. You heighten the anticipation by making them wait for your next words.
This could also help you emphasize a point or an awesome idea.
Command your audience’s attention by using the power pause as a psychological equalizer, magnifying the force of your words.
Example: Napoleon Bonaparte
– He is someone in history known to be very intense and charismatic. He knew he was so and had the keys to command the attention he wanted when he spoke in front of a lot of people. “The power pause was his key to magnifying his message.”
Just like Napoleon, other famous speakers like Benito Juarez, Queen Elizabeth II, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton mastered this very effective secret.
…Even Adolf Hitler did it to gain more followers. We all know how that turned out.
As history shows us, using the POWER PAUSE works!
Surprisingly, the key to getting people’s attention is to not say anything.
Just pausing (dramatically)
Somehow, people react to this kind of stage silence.
Try doing a power pause at one point (or two) of your next presentation! We’re sure it’ll grab your audience’s attention.
“Stand, stare, and command your audience, and they will bend their ears to listen.” – James C. Humes
Hope you’ve found this week’s public speaking tip interesting and helpful.
Stay tuned for next Wednesday’s Speak on the Shoulders of Giants!
