Last week in Warsaw, it was cold. Very cold.
The temperature frequently dipped below minus 20 degrees Celsius.
The cobblestones of the Old Town were covered in ice.
You couldn’t rush.
Every step demanded attention.
As I walked, I realized how much this applies to public speaking. When moving over slippery terrain, you have to walk with deliberation. When delivering a speech or presentation, you have to speak with deliberation.
Here’s a short video that I shot in the Old Town. (For subscribers reading this post via email, please click this link.)
When we hurry:
▪️ our words blur
▪️ our ideas collide
▪️ our audience struggles to follow
Cobblestones don’t allow speed.
And neither does a clear message.
Good speaking, like careful walking, is deliberate:
▪️ one step at a time
▪️ one idea at a time
▪️ one message at a time
▪️ pauses to allow the audience to think
When you speak too quickly, your audience struggles to keep their footing, just as I did on those icy streets. But when you slow down, when you speak with deliberation, you create space for meaning to land.
The cobblestones of the Old Town in Warsaw forced me to slow down.
The stage teaches the same lesson: speak with deliberation, and you — and your audience — will find your balance.
