You’ve been told to slow down.
Many people are given the feedback that they speak too quickly. To do this, actually slow your rate of speech. Imagine yourself walking at a natural pace for you, when you have a destination but you’re not in a hurry. There’s a speed that feels right for you; we’ll call that your “5”. Now, imagine you are in a hurry—you’re not “about to miss a plane” rushing, but you need to get somewhere. That’s about a 7.
Now you’re walking with a friend who’s on crutches. This is maybe a 3. That 3 is going to feel unusual for you; you’ll have to pay attention to slowing down to match your friend’s gait. You might unconsciously get ahead of him a few times and have to pull yourself back until it feels more natural.
Speaking at a 3 is like slowing down for your friend. We can’t think or process as fast as you can talk. The experience of listening to someone who is speaking quickly can become more about the frustration of trying to keep up than the ease of hearing their message.
When you’re asked to slow down, think about that friend on crutches. Find that vocal 3 that allows the audience to keep up with you.
