The Speaking Pause Part II: Look for Your Silent Seconds

In yesterdays post, we discussed 5 reasons we won't stop talking...
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Today, we'll examine why we must stop, and find the crucial Silent Seconds in our presentations:
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1. Connection - pauses allow the audience to see the speaker as a human being, instead of a flapping mouth, perhaps with flapping arms to boot. (pause)They give your audience a chance to catch a glimpse of you in silence, see the look in your eyes, and understand the expressions on your face. Be aware that all of these must aspects of your presentation must be in line with your message. When you pause, take a hurried drink, and sift through a pile of notes, you are no longer in tune with your words, which creates a disconnect.
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2. Understanding - if you're discussing new or complicated concepts (communication techniques for husbands, for example), use the pause to let your audience catch up. (pause)Watch your crowd and look for confirming or confused looks. You may need to repeat or clarify, or allow questions to be asked. If you don't pause to be sure your audience understands, the point of the talk becomes moot. 
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3. Impact - when you've made your most important statements, a pause is a flag that helps the audience identify that fact. (pause)Particularly a pause followed by repeating the statement, followed by another pause. Slowing down the pace to make sure the audience is clear that THIS is what they need to take home with them is worth the effort, and separates the moment from your faster-paced stories and transitions.
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4. Effective Storytelling - nothing steps on laughter, runs over a dramatic twist, or plain neuters a story like the lack of Silent Seconds. Pausing gives your audience the chance lean forward in their seats and mentally beg for more. Take advantage!
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When you write your speeches, watch for your Silent Seconds - those times a pause will enhance the connection, understanding and impact of your words. (pause)You'll find them naturally in your punctuation - when your sentence ends with a period, thats a clue. 
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As I regularly recommend, record yourself, and listen for places your pauses should be, and where they should possibly be longer. (pause)You may fear pausing too long, but typically, the pause in our head is twice as long as the pause the audience observes. (pause)Exercise - try to deliberately pause for 5 seconds. It'll drive you crazy, as it'll seem more like 10 as you stand in silence.
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There are dangers to using pauses as well, but we'll tackle those later on. For now, take a look at how Silent Seconds will impact your speaking, and impact your audience. Now get out there and remember to Speak (pause) & Deliver!