One of the biggest concerns of my executive presentation training clients in New York City is pacing. “How fast should I speak” is a question I get a lot. I tend to think you cannot speak too slow while presenting. Adrenaline is a powerful substance, and it tends to take over a speech. Without awareness, it’s all too easy to rush. But there are those that think speaking too slow is a legitimate problem while presenting. Let’s compare two TED talks, and analyze their rate of speech, starting with Laura Galante’s speech on Russian hacking:

I think Laura’s pacing is good. She takes a clear pause at the end of each thought , and highlights important words with her intonation. By taking her time, she makes complex material clear.

Now let’s check out Bendetta Berti’s TED talk from 2016:

Interesting comparison on a number of fronts. I would say she is speaking much too fast, especially toward the middle of the speech. Occasionally, she will take a break at the end of each thought group to allow her thoughts to land, but in general, she is rushing through ideas and concepts. The problem is made worse by the fact that she is mispronouncing some important words, and dropping the “th” sound entirely.

I did my best to find an example of a TED-talker who was speaking too slowly. I couldn’t find one. So I stand by my original premise; you cannot speak too slow while presenting. What do you think? Comment below or tweet me your thoughts.

This entry was posted in ESL Accent Reduction Video Blogs , General Articulation , Video Analysis of Contemporary Speeches
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