Words are Medicine

It's not just what you say, but how you say it. We talk about the manifestation of intention throughout Verbal First Aid and the importance of tone, phrasing, and the communication of compassion.

Almost as an exclamation point, I got the most extraordinary response from yet another really savvy Huffington Post reader. I have been granted permission to share it with you all and hope you see the value in it I did.

The Power of Speech
When someone is confident in themselves and has strong self worth they usually do not feel the urge to be nervous and speak fast, as they are used to others paying attention and respecting their ideas, thoughts and words. Something to think about. Are you a fast or slow talker…and how did your parents treat you when you were speaking? Were they attentive and patient and digest your ideas and words before replying? Or were they dismissive and disrespectful and talk over you and barely listen to you? There's your answer.
I have another article from 2002 that addresses the issue of "Speed Talking" and how ineffective it really is.
Sorry for the fractured posts, but I have no other options thanks to the new "Twitter" like posting limits.This is one of the other articles that I found extremely pertinent to my concerns about speech patterns, and how important they are. This came from "The Total Communicator", a business communication publication.

Presentation Skills: Delivery Skills: Pace
Slow Down, You’re Talking Too Fast!

Fast speech is like fine print. It’s easy to ignore. Radio and television commercials sometimes rely on this. At the end of an otherwise great offer you hear an announcer running through a list of restrictions and qualifications that water down the offer. This part of the commercial is spoken so fast that you can barely understand it. More importantly, you tend to tune out.

Listeners tune out if speakers don't make listening comfortable. It's the speaker's job to make it easy and comfortable for the audience to listen.

Speed Is Not the Only Issue
In fact, speed by itself is rarely the issue. The constant speed is what causes the trouble. People who speak at a constant clip, whether slow or fast, are likely to frustrate their listeners. They not only bore us with their own special brand of monotony (sameness of speed), they undermine the natural physical aspect of speech.

Pauses Punctuate Speech
If you habitually talk fast, you need a variety of ways to punctuate your speech, and the most natural punctuation for speech is the pause you take when you reach for a breath. Writing without punctuation is ambiguous and cumbersome. Speech, without the punctuation of pauses, is unclear and hard to listen to. It makes listeners uncomfortable, not just because of the speed itself. The unrelenting stream of sound never gives us a chance to rest and ponder the movement of the speaker's thought.

Here's how to gain some verbal punctuation:

Look people in the eye when speaking. That will slow you down because you get feedback from your listener. You can see whether or not your listener understands what you're saying. That sense of connection with your target will help you pace your words so they hit the mark.

Pause between phrases. The pauses will give your listeners a chance to digest what you've said. Speech that comes from a person who is breathing deeply and regularly is easier to hear and understand. Click here to read an article on pausing.

Slowing down is a question of punctuation. Make sure you punctuate your speech by controlling and varying your pace, using focused pauses, and taking more frequent breaths. You'll not only hold the attention of your audience, you'll also deliver your points more powerfully and persuasively.

Thanks Judith!

Thank you, Deb.

Bookmark to: