People who are nervous tend to speak too fast. Nervous people do not look confident, and their listeners may not trust them. By maintaining a relaxed speed, you will look calm, confident, and trustworthy. Plus, you will have time to think about what you want to say. In order to speak at the right speed, add pauses between your thoughts and sentences. Pauses add authority.
Analyze:
Do people tell you that you speak too quickly? Do people sometimes say that you don’t finish your words or sentences? Make sure you give yourself time to finish your thoughts before skipping to your next idea. If people ask you, “what?” after you speak, you may be talking too quickly.
Practice:
Practice introducing yourself and adding pauses between your phrases and sentences. Do this in the mirror without talking to anyone. Add a pause between your first and last name. You should feel like you are talking slowly.
Use:
The next time you are speaking, remind yourself to breathe and take your time.