One area we often coach in public speaking and presentation skills is pace, and specifically, speaking quickly. There’s a lot to be said about the reasons for different vocal speeds, why it matters, etc. But the point I want to make today is this: when you slow down, you make fewer mistakes.
That’s it. When you slow down, you give yourself a millisecond to choose a better phrase, to avoid an “um” or a “kind of,” to remember your next point, to read the room, to pause.
It’s like driving in an unfamiliar neighborhood. If you don’t know quite where your turn is, are you going to zip by the street signs?
Slow down—just a bit. Breathe. Pause. Give yourself the time you need to show up at your best.
