Three Ways to Keep Yourself From Rambling 

If you find yourself “getting into the weeds” by using long sentences when sharing information or opinions….You might be a rambler!

If your friends and colleagues dread hearing you speak…. You might be a rambler!

If your clients, customers, or direct reports seem uncomfortable when you talk.…You might be a rambler!

If you find your neighbors or even family members keep avoiding your talks…. You might be a rambler!

Many of our clients are brilliant and interesting people. Even if you are all these things…You might be a rambler!

How do you put an end to this agony for yourself and others? As an Executive Communication Coach, I wish I could tell you an instant fix, but there is none. Instead, it takes some purposeful self-awareness and time with a speech coach that offers new strategies and mindsets to develop a more concise and effective speaking style. To move from monologues to dialogue, here are three quick tips:

  1. Use purposeful pauses. Most ramblers talk and talk and talk with no breaks, making it difficult for the listener to absorb all the information. Instead, use a few intentional pauses to add impact and allow room for thinking and content retention.
  2. Lean on a trusted framework. Many of our clients use the frameworks we teach them, such as H.E.C (Headline, Example, Comment), to become crisp and concise, especially on-the-spot, and the Four Step Outline for organizing content.
  3. Change your Rate and Pace. Rate and Pace are two different elements of speed. Your Rate is how many words you say in a given amount of time. Your Pace is how many thoughts are presented in a given amount of time. Adjust your Rate and Pace for maximum impact and understanding.

Use these techniques to increase your effectiveness and the impression you make on listeners. There is so much more that could be said here, but I don’t want to be a rambler. You get the idea.  

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