The Power Pause

Napoleon Bonaparte would often wait forty to fifty seconds to begin a battle address to his troops.

Adolph Hitler would fuss with his moustache, mop his forehead, and fidget with his notes for five minutes as he faced thousands of people waiting for his speech.

Queen Elizabeth II, who often needed to stand on a step stool to be seen over a podium, would always pause before beginning her speeches to show she was in control of the crowd.

A pause in the right place at the right time gives YOU: Time to breathe Time to consider what it is you’re going to say next Time to receive, and digest the feedback you’re getting from your audience

A pause in the right place at the right time gives YOUR AUDIENCE: Time to breathe Time to let the images or ideas you’ve given them “flower” in their minds Time to summarize what’s been said Time to prepare for what may be coming next

Stand, Stare, and Command your Audience: Before you speak: Lock your eyes on each of your would-be listeners Force yourself before you begin your presentation to say in your own mind each word of your opening sentence. Every second you wait will strengthen the impact of your opening words.

Let Punctuation Be Your Guide: For a period in your speech, wait 2 seconds before continuing. For a comma, wait 1 second before continuing. For a semi-colon, wait 1 second before continuing. For a colon, wait 2 seconds before continuing. Between the end of one paragraph and the start of the next, wait 3 seconds before continuing.

Martin Luther King Jr. “I Have a Dream” Speech ‘This will be the day when all of God’s children will be able to sing with a new meaning, “My country, ‘tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim’s pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring.” And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true. So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania! Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado! Let freedom ring from the curvaceous peaks of California! But not only that; let freedom ring from the Stone Mountain of Georgia! Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee! Let freedom ring from every hill and every molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring.’