5 Reasons Why Silence Is Powerful
-Shreya Penta
When it comes to the art of public speaking, telling skillful stories always catches the attention of the audience. But the art of storytelling is incomplete without talking about pauses.
Public speaking for the first time can always seem intimidating, but what if I told you that you don’t have to constantly fill every moment with words?
Silence is something you should be comfortable with. It is an underrated tool.
Just because you are silent, it does not mean you are still and void. Your silence can be insightful, powerful and full of meaning.
Here are 5 ways to incorporate them when you are talking to your audience:
- Let your point sink in
There is always the danger of over explaining your point while you’re talking to your audience and you might come off as bombarding your audience with information. If you have any experience from sitting in boring college lectures, you know that this causes the mind to wander off easily. Instead slow down. Let your words sink in. Silence will get their attention, and give them time to engage with you.
2. Use nonverbal communication
Just because you are silent, it does not mean you are still and void. You are always communicating through Nonverbal communication, such as eye contact, your body posture or hand gestures. Just like sounding right is important for a good public speaker, studies show that The ability to understand and use nonverbal communication, or body language, is a powerful tool that can help you connect with others, express what you really mean, and build better relationships.
3. It is a power move
Silence is stronger than words. When you are quite, you give the opportunity to your audience to engage with you. It shows that you have a control over the room.
4. It is a valid answer
Disagreements while you are interacting with your audience is bound to happened, the best and the most graceful way to tackle it is through silence.
5. Ground yourself
As nerve wrecking as speaking to a room full of unknown faces sounds, your silence doesn’t always have to be for others. Take a moment to center your thoughts and point before you speak so you make more sense and sound more confident.
In conclusion,
Effective communication is a perfect symphony of talking and listening. As important as it is to have solid hard hitting content to talk about, silence is a very powerful tool to let your points sink in and marinate in the minds of your audience. So next time you are at a public speaking event, do not shy away from taking a pause!
