As a speaker, you’re in the driver’s seat.
Which can be a problem for your audience.
If you drive too fast, they’ll miss the point.
If it’s too slow, they might fall asleep.
And if you choose a bumpy road,
they‘re probably not going to enjoy the ride.
Reading a book is different because the reader is in control of the pace with which they process the information.
They can slow down,
skip ahead,
flip a few pages back and
re-read some information.
In a speech, the audience can’t do any of that.
They’re at the speaker’s mercy.
As a speaker, being aware of that helps in making the ride more enjoyable and satisfying for your audience.
Keep in mind, though, that not everyone enjoys the same kind of ride. While some audiences love the feeling of a sports car, others prefer the feeling of a well-balanced limousine.
