Do You Speak Too Quickly?

You don’t have to be a cook to know that you can’t put ten pounds of stuffing into a five bound bird. Yet, metaphorically, presenters do that when they talk fast in an enthusiastic effort to get everything into a listener’s mind as quickly as possible.  The mind can only take in and process so much at a time. The fact is that what satisfies the fast-talking presenter only exhausts the overwhelmed listener. The net effect  practically guarantees lack of understanding, retention, or attention.   However, telling yourself to “slow down” rarely works, since if you could, you would. So, what does work? 

Shift Your Thinking

Instead of seeing your challenge as getting out as much information as possible in as short a period of time as possible, imagine you are talking to someone for whom English is a second or third language.

Think about it. When you encounter people for whom English is not their first language, you automatically speak at a slower pace. The benefits are tenfold both for you and your listener.

• Enunciation is suddenly clearer
• Sentences are ended, rather than sung into the next thought
• Inflection naturally increases, which makes you a more interesting speaker
• Breathing becomes more natural
• Non-words like “uh” and “um” disappear
• Control of thinking is enhanced
• Anxiety is reduced
• People understand you better
• It is easier to remember what you said
• Listeners don’t feel pressured
• You sound more professional, confident, & credible

Exercise

If you have been told, or suspect, you speak too quickly, try this easy exercise.  Record yourself explaining some aspect of your product or service at your normal pace. Then, record yourself saying essentially the same thing, but say it as if you are talking to someone whose second or third language is not English.

Notice the difference. Notice which is easier to understand, clearer, and more professional.

Yes, speaking at the second pace may feel like you are slugging through molasses (!)because your habit is to speak fast.  But, then you have to decide which is more important: to speak at your comfortable fast pace or to speak at a pace that is comfortable for your listeners.

The choice is yours.

Anne Miller

Words Matter – Make What You Say Pay!