Talk Tip: Speech Transitions

Q: What do I do when I’m done talking? My boss is presenting at the next All Hands and said she may ask me and a couple of others to jump in during Q&A. Our Q&As can get kind of random and awkward.

This sounds like a job for transitions. Speech transitions are a public speaker’s best friend because they signal to the audience that something is going to happen next. You probably use transitions all the time without thinking about it: when you open with “hello,” say “next” when you move onto another point, and “thanks” when you wrap.

With all eyes on you, you’ll be perfectly placed to trigger a transition even if your boss, the event facilitator, and even the CEO are right there with you. Here, it makes sense to lob your audience’s attention back to your boss, like “That covers it from my end. [Name], is there anything you’d like to add?” Your listeners will appreciate your quick, gracious direction.

If your Q&As are awkward, maybe you can be the change by modeling the way with transitions. Speech transitions smooth things out, adding that elusive “polish” so you come across as confident and in control. Transitions seem like a little thing, but they can have a big impact.

Talk Tip covers questions I’ve fielded during public speaking coaching, training, and mentoring sessions.?Read more Talk Tips?here