How can you use pace and tone to create an engaging presentation?

If you talk too fast, the audience cannot follow you. Their brain is always trying to catch up with what you are presenting. If you talk too slow, the audience will follow you to sleep. So there has to be a variation in the pace to keep the audience interested in your delivery

Don't forget you can use silence as a pace tool. Asking a question, or making an important point, and then leaving a gap can build an audience's attention. And if you ask a good self-reflective question, then you can probably leave what feels like an uncomfortably long silence

Varying your pace keeps your audience engaged. A constant speed can lull them into inattention. Switching between fast and slow can rekindle their focus. Faster pacing can highlight urgency or excitement. Slowing down can give weight to essential points. It's akin to bolding or italicizing words in written text. A well-timed pause can clarify complex ideas. It gives your audience a moment to digest information. A rapid-fire delivery can confuse, while a measured pace aids understanding. Pace can convey emotion. A quickened pace might reveal nervousness, while a deliberate one showcases confidence. It's a non-verbal aspect of your delivery that adds depth to your words.

Tonality plays a crucial role in communication, as it adds depth and emotion to your voice. It triggers facial expressions and hand gestures, making your delivery more powerful than words alone can. However, expressing emotions in your voice, especially in the workplace, is something many of us haven't culturally learned. You may question if it's even appropriate to show emotions in your voice at work. Yet, when you observe influential communicators in professional settings, you'll find they skilfully use emotions in their voice, facial expressions and body language. The first step to overcome this is to become aware of it and understand that it's an acquired behaviour that can be changed for your benefit. Take charge; show emotions.

If you've got PowerPoint, then you can use the "Rehearse with Coach" feature to get instant feedback on your pace. It will calculate words per minute, and show you how this has varied during your presentation. It's built in, so you don't have to record yourself. Find it in the Slide Show menu

Variety is so important. Using the range of your voice adds depth to your message. A varied tone is also able to convey a range of emotions.

Practice with PowerPoint's Rehearse with Coach, which will give you instant feedback on pace, pitch, inclusiveness and repetive language. It's also great for spotting fillers (like 'um','like' or 'you know'). It will give you feedback in real time, and then a neat summary at the end. It has helped me be much more consistent, and avoids having to watch myself back on video

Tonality plays a crucial role in communication, as it adds depth and emotion to your voice. It triggers facial expressions and hand gestures, making your delivery more powerful than words alone. However, expressing emotions in your voice, especially in the workplace, is something many of us haven't culturally learned. You may question if it's even appropriate to show emotions in your voice at work. Yet, when you observe influential communicators in professional settings, you'll find they skilfully use emotions in their voice, facial expressions and body language. The first step to overcome this is to become aware and understand that it is an acquired behaviour that can be changed for your benefit. Take the first step; make the change.