Sarah ArcherProfessional Speaker, Organisational Consultant & Coach, Lemon Squeeze Limited · International Speaker | Speaking Coach | Top 1% Podcast Host | Helping Organisations Unlock Business Transformation & Growth Through Strategic Storytelling | Helping Experts & Business Authors Nail th

How Pauses Make You Sound More Credible #speakingskills #publicspeaking

17 Feb 2026 · 1 min

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In this instructional segment, Sarah Archer explains that deliberate pauses in public speaking convey confidence and command, even when the speaker feels nervous. She outlines four specific pause types—arrival, emphasis, completion, and pre‑punchline—describing each as a tool to shape audience perception, own the stage, and enhance credibility. The speaker stresses that pauses are not for drama but for strategic control of the talk’s rhythm.

Chapters

It's at all not a mistake. It's something that the audience will experience as confidence, even when it feels terrifying to you as the speaker. And I've talked about this before, especially in relation to, um, lightning bolts, the start of your talk, and that's a place that we can absolutely use the pause. It's not about being dramatic, It's about being in command of the stage, owning the stage. There's actually 4 pauses: arrival, emphasis, completion, and pre-punchline. We'll call it that.