There Is No Such Thing as a Goldilocks Pace
Anyone who has spoken in more than one setting knows that no two audiences are the same. This applies equally to each and every audience member: we all listen differently and therefore have varying preferences concerning the optimal speed of a speech.
Thus, the optimal number of words per minute spoken — a Goldilocks pace if you will — does not exist.
People with ages, language skills, etc. will tune into your speech at different speeds, like frequencies on a radio. Unless your audience is particularly monolithic, you won’t be able to speak at a pace ideal for everyone. Rather, you need to regularly vary your speed, tuning to different sections of your audience and keeping them engaged.
To understand why, let’s think about tonal variation. Changing up the mood of a speech and providing emphasis to key parts can help drive its message home to the audience while mimicking the natural voice.
Of course, you’re already familiar with tonal variation. You’ve definitely applied it, consciously or not. After all, tone is a built-in part of our conversational speech. Even young children emphasise strong emotions, such as anger, with an impassioned tone.
Just like tone, pace is another intrinsic quality of speaking. We tend to speed up when excited (or nervous!) and slow down when accentuating critical information. However, when we present in front of an audience, this beautiful part of our voice often goes missing.
Some speakers are slow — excruciatingly slow — as they forcibly pause in between every word. Others take off at breakneck speed, their syllables tripping over each other in a race of incomprehensibility. Some still confine themselves to a steady balance between these two extremes, which eventually becomes unbearable for an audience enduring a monotone narration.
You have to change it up. Slow and fast, fast and slow, hand in hand with your variations in tone. Yes, if you speak too quickly you can lose the audience. However, maintaining the exact same pace throughout your presentation will have the same effect.
Keep calm, but don’t be reluctant to get excited whenever its warranted. Watch your pace, but allow it to quicken and slow as you present. Have confidence in your own natural voice, and go kill it!
